חֶ֗רֶב עוּרִ֤י עַל־רֹעִי֙ וְעַל־גֶּ֣בֶר עֲמִיתִ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֑ות הַ֤ךְ אֶת־הָֽרֹעֶה֙ וּתְפוּצֶ֣יןָ הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י יָדִ֖י עַל־הַצֹּעֲרִֽים׃
“Sword, awake against my shepherd, and against the man who is my associate,” declares YHWH of Hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the flock shall be scattered, and I will turn back my hand upon the little ones.
Morphology
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Personified instrument of judgment addressed directly.
- עוּרִי (ʿuri) – Root: עור (ʿur); Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “awake”; Notes: Command directed to the sword, matching its feminine grammatical gender.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “against”; Notes: Introduces the target of the sword’s action.
- רֹעִי (roʿi) – Root: רעה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine singular with suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my shepherd”; Notes: Shepherd metaphor denotes leadership under divine commission.
- וְ (ve) – Root: ו (vav); Form: Conjunction וְ; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links parallel targets of judgment.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “against”; Notes: Repeats the adversative direction.
- גֶּבֶר (gever) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Emphasizes strength or representative manhood.
- עֲמִיתִי (ʿamiti) – Root: עמית (ʿamit); Form: Noun masculine singular with suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my associate”; Notes: Indicates close relationship or equal standing with the speaker.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “utterance”; Notes: Formal prophetic declaration formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Identifies the speaker as the covenant God.
- צְבָאֹות (tsevaʾot) – Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural construct (title); Translation: “of hosts”; Notes: Stresses universal authority over heavenly and earthly forces.
- הַךְ (hakh) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “strike”; Notes: Direct command intensifying the judicial action.
- אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker אֶת; Translation: [untranslated]; Notes: Marks the definite direct object.
- הָרֹעֶה (ha-roʿeh) – Root: רעה (raʿah); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the shepherd”; Notes: Central figure whose striking causes communal disruption.
- וּתְפוּצֶיןָ (u-tefutsenah) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Conjunction וּ + Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural with energic ending; Translation: “and they shall be scattered”; Notes: Feminine plural agrees with “flock” as a collective feminine noun.
- הַצֹּאן (ha-tsoʾn) – Root: צאן (tsoʾn); Form: Definite noun feminine singular collective; Translation: “the flock”; Notes: Represents the people dependent on the shepherd.
- וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי (va-hashivoti) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Conjunction וַ + Hifil wayyiqtol (narrative future) 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will turn back”; Notes: Divine action following the scattering.
- יָדִי (yadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular with suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “my hand”; Notes: Symbol of power, control, or protective action.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Indicates direction of divine action.
- הַצֹּעֲרִים (ha-tsoʿarim) – Root: צער (tsaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the little ones”; Notes: Likely refers to the weak or vulnerable among the flock.