| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse consists of two first-person commitments followed by a causal clause. The opening verb erpa {אֶרְפָּא֙ | ʾer-pāʾ} ‘I will heal’ takes the direct object meshubotam {מְשֻׁבוֹתָ֔ם | mə-šu-vō-ṯām} ‘their backslidings,’ portraying covenant breach as a condition needing restoration. The next predicate ohevem {אֹהֲבֵ֖ם | ʾō-hă-vēm} ‘loving them’ is a participle used verbally after a finite first-person verb; it continues the same divine subject and presents love as an ongoing disposition rather than a momentary act. The adverbial nedavah {נְדָבָ֑ה | nə-ḏā-ḇā} ‘freely’ specifies the manner of that love as voluntary and uncoerced. The conjunction ki {כִּ֛י | kî} introduces the ground for these benefits: shav appi {שָׁ֥ב אַפִּ֖י | šāḇ ʾap-pî} ‘My anger has turned’ forms a compact clause whose verb precedes its subject for brisk, decisive effect, and mimennu {מִמֶּֽנּוּ | mim-men-nû} ‘from him’ uses a singular pronominal object to treat Israel as a corporate individual. English renders the Hebrew parataxis with coordinated clauses and a clear causal “because,” preserving the tight rhythm of promise, promise, reason. |