וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות שׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות וְאָשׁ֣וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃
And you shall say to them ‘Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Return to Me,” declares YHWH of Hosts, “and I will return to you,” said YHWH of Hosts.
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (ve-amarta) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Instruction to the prophet introducing divine speech.
- אֲלֵהֶם (alehem) — Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Identifies the audience of the prophetic message.
- כֹּה (koh) — Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic proclamation formula.
- אָמַר (amar) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Part of the formal declaration formula “Thus said YHWH.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker of the prophetic message.
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) — Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural in construct; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Title emphasizing YHWH’s supreme authority.
- שׁוּבוּ (shuvu) — Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Return”; Notes: A call to repentance directed toward the people.
- אֵלַי (elai) — Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Indicates YHWH as the one to whom the people must return.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) — Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “declaration of”; Notes: A prophetic signature phrase marking divine authority.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Reaffirmation of the speaker.
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) — Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural in construct; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Repeated title lending solemnity to the declaration.
- וְאָשׁוּב (ve-ashuv) — Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will return”; Notes: YHWH promises reciprocal restoration.
- אֲלֵיכֶם (aleikhem) — Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “to you”; Notes: YHWH’s promised return corresponds to the people’s repentance.
- אָמַר (amar) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Concludes the quotation with a reaffirmation of divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Final reinforcement of the divine source.
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) — Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural in construct; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Title repeated for strong rhetorical emphasis.