אַ֣ךְ דְּבָרַ֣י וְחֻקַּ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּ֨יתִי֙ אֶת־עֲבָדַ֣י הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים הֲלֹ֥וא הִשִּׂ֖יגוּ אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר זָמַ֜ם יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות לָ֔נוּ כִּדְרָכֵ֨ינוּ֙ וּכְמַ֣עֲלָלֵ֔ינוּ כֵּ֖ן עָשָׂ֥ה אִתָּֽנוּ׃ ס
But My words and My statutes which I commanded My servants the prophets, did they not overtake your fathers? “And they returned and they said, ‘As YHWH of Hosts purposed to do to us according to our ways and according to our deeds so He has done with us.’”’”
Morphology
- אַךְ (akh) — Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “But”; Notes: Introduces a contrast to the preceding verse.
- דְּבָרַי (devaray) — Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My words”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s decrees or messages.
- וְחֻקַּי (ve-ḥuqqay) — Root: חקק (ḥaqaq); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “and My statutes”; Notes: Legal or covenantal requirements given by YHWH.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) — Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a clause defining the words and statutes.
- צִוִּיתִי (tsivviti) — Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I commanded”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s direct issuing of commands.
- אֶת (et) — Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Introduces the object “My servants the prophets.”
- עֲבָדַי (avaday) — Root: עבד (avad); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My servants”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s prophetic messengers.
- הַנְּבִיאִים (ha-neviʾim) — Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Identifies the servants referenced.
- הֲלֹוא (halo) — Root: —; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “did they not”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expecting affirmation.
- הִשִּׂיגוּ (hissigu) — Root: נשׂג (nasag); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “overtake”; Notes: Means YHWH’s words/judgments caught up with the fathers.
- אֲבֹתֵיכֶם (avotekhem) — Root: אב (av); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the disobedient ancestors.
- וַיָּשׁוּבוּ (va-yashuvu) — Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they returned”; Notes: Indicates repentance following judgment.
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) — Root: אמר (amar); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Introduces the acknowledgement by the fathers.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka-asher) — Root: —; Form: Preposition כְּ + relative pronoun; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison expressing accordance with YHWH’s intention.
- זָמַם (zamam) — Root: זמם (zamam); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “purposed”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s predetermined intent.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) — Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the verb “purposed.”
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) — Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural in construct; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Divine title conveying universal authority.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) — Root: עשׂה (asah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Marks YHWH’s intended action.
- לָנוּ (lanu) — Root: ל; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “to us”; Notes: The ancestors confess YHWH’s just dealings with them.
- כִּדְרָכֵינוּ (ki-darkheinu) — Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “according to our ways”; Notes: Acknowledges moral correspondence between deeds and judgment.
- וּכְמַעֲלָלֵינוּ (u-kemaʿalaleinu) — Root: עלל (ʿalal); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “and according to our deeds”; Notes: Parallel expression reinforcing moral accountability.
- כֵּן (ken) — Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Marks the result corresponding to YHWH’s purpose.
- עָשָׂה (asah) — Root: עשׂה (asah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He has done”; Notes: YHWH’s action realized upon them.
- אִתָּנוּ (ittanu) — Root: את (ʾit); Form: Preposition עִם (assimilated) + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Completes the confession of just retribution.