כִּ֚י

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 כִּ֚י

   KI

   for
2. clause🔊 כִּ֚י אִם־בֹּ֣א אַתָּ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה חֲזַ֣ק לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה

   KI im-BO a-TA a-SE kha-ZAKH la-mil-kha-MA

   for if come you do be strong for the battle
3. sentence🔊 כִּ֚י אִם־בֹּ֣א אַתָּ֔ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה חֲזַ֣ק לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה יַכְשִֽׁילְךָ֤ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־כֹּ֛חַ בֵּאלֹהִ֖ים לַעְז֥וֹר וּלְהַכְשִֽׁיל׃

   KI im-BO a-TA a-SE kha-ZAKH la-mil-kha-MA yak-shil-KHA ha-e-lo-HIM lif-NE o-YEV KI yesh-KO-akh be-e-lo-HIM la-zoR u-le-hak-SHIL

   for if come you do be strong for the battle he will make you stumble the God before an enemy for there is power in God to help and to cause to stumble

Exegesis

The opening ki {כִּי | kî} functions as a discourse link to the preceding counsel, introducing a conditional scenario rather than a new topic.

The explanation introduced by ki {כִּי | kî} grounds that warning in a general theological principle: yēš-kōaḥ bēʾĕlōhîm {יֶשׁ־כֹּחַ בֵּאלֹהִים | yēš-kōaḥ bēʾĕlōhîm} ‘there is power in God,’ followed by two coordinated infinitives, laʿăzōr û-ləhakšîl {לַעְזֹר וּלְהַכְשִׁיל | laʿăzōr û-ləhakšîl} ‘to help and to cause to stumble.’ This pairing forms a comprehensive statement of divine sovereignty: the same God is able to grant success or to bring collapse, so human resolve cannot override His decision.

Root and etymology

possible root l-k-sh🔊 ל־כ־שlamed–kaph–shin

“to go in retreat, take refuge”