| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the prophetic formula koh amar {כֹּה־אָמַר | kōʾāmar} ‘thus says,’ introducing divine speech. The compound divine name Yahweh Tseva’ot {יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת | Yəhōwāh ṣəḇāʼōt} ‘LORD of hosts’ and the title Elohei Yisra’el {אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾĕlōhē Yiśrāʼēl} ‘God of Israel’ combine martial authority with covenant identity. The particle hineni {הִנְנִי | hinnēnî} ‘behold me’ signals imminent divine action. The Hiphil participle mevi {מֵבִיא | mēvîʾ} ‘bringing’ conveys active intent, followed by the prepositional phrase el-ha’ir hazot ve’al-kol-areiha {אֶל־הָעִיר הַזֹּאת וְעַל־כָּל־עָרֶיהָ | ʾel hāʿîr hazzōt wəʿal kāl ʿārêhā} specifying both the city and its towns. The object clause et-kol-hara’ah asher dibarti aleiha {אֵת־כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי עָלֶיהָ | ʾêṯ kāl harāʿāh ʾăšer dibbartî ʿālêhā} details the full extent of the disaster foretold. The causal clause ki hikshu et-orpam levilti shemoa et-devarai {כִּי הִקְשׁוּ אֶת־עָרְפָם לְבִלְתִּי שְׁמֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרָי | kî hiqšū ʾêṯ ʿorpām ləbiltî šəmōaʿ ʾêṯ dəvarāy} employs a purpose-negative infinitive to express their refusal: they have hardened their neck—idiom for obstinate resistance—so as not to hear God’s words. The English rendition preserves Hebrew structure while conveying divine authority and imminent judgment. |