אַל־תִּהְי֣וּ כַאֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֡ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר קָרְאֽוּ־אֲלֵיהֶם֩ הַנְּבִיאִ֨ים הָרִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות שׁ֤וּבוּ נָא֙ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֣ם הָרָעִ֔ים וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶ֖ם הָֽרָעִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֛וּ וְלֹֽא־הִקְשִׁ֥יבוּ אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
“Do not be like your fathers those to whom the former prophets called saying, ‘Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Return now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen and they did not pay attention to Me,” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- אַל (al) — Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Do not”; Notes: Introduces a prohibition.
- תִּהְיוּ (tihyu) — Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “be”; Notes: Prohibits becoming like the ancestors.
- כַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם (ka-avotekhem) — Root: אב (av); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “like your fathers”; Notes: Warns against repeating ancestral disobedience.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) — Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a clause describing the ancestors.
- קָרְאוּ (karʾu) — Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they called”; Notes: The prophets’ repeated summons.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (aleihem) — Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the forefathers as the recipients of the prophetic call.
- הַנְּבִיאִים (ha-neviʾim) — Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Refers to the prophetic messengers sent by YHWH.
- הָרִאשֹׁנִים (ha-rishonim) — Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Definite adjective masculine plural; Translation: “the former”; Notes: Indicates earlier generations of prophets.
- לֵאמֹר (lemor) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech of YHWH.
- כֹּה (koh) — Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Signals a prophetic proclamation formula.
- אָמַר (amar) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: “Thus said YHWH” formula introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker of the message.
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) — Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural in construct; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Title stressing YHWH’s sovereign power.
- שׁוּבוּ (shuvu) — Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Return”; Notes: Urgent command to repent.
- נָא (na) — Root: —; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “now”; Notes: Softens the imperative to an earnest plea.
- מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם (mi-darkhekhem) — Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “from your ways”; Notes: Calls for abandoning sinful conduct.
- הָרָעִים (ha-raʿim) — Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite adjective masculine plural; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Characterizes the people’s ways.
- וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם (u-maʿal’leikhem) — Root: עלל (ʿalal); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and your deeds”; Notes: Refers to their harmful actions.
- הָרָעִים (ha-raʿim) — Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite adjective masculine plural; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Reiterates the moral quality of their deeds.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) — Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Begins the description of refusal.
- שָׁמְעוּ (shamʿu) — Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they listened”; Notes: Indicates disobedience to YHWH’s call.
- וְלֹא־הִקְשִׁיבוּ (ve-lo-hikshivu) — Root: קשׁב (kashav); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they did not pay attention”; Notes: Stronger form of non-responsiveness than merely not listening.
- אֵלַי (elai) — Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: Indicates YHWH as the one ignored.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) — Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “declaration of”; Notes: A prophetic formula marking divine authority.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker of the final authoritative statement.