וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיכֶם צֹפִים הַקְשִׁיבוּ לְקֹול שֹׁופָר וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַקְשִׁיב
In the sixth chapter of Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah), amid a lamentation over Judah’s persistent rebellion and God’s call to repentance, we find a verse that pulses with tension—not only theological, but grammatical. Jeremiah 6:17 presents a sequence of commands and responses that culminate in a dramatic refusal:
> וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיכֶם צֹפִים הַקְשִׁיבוּ לְקֹול שֹׁופָר וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַקְשִׁיב׃
> “I set watchmen over you: ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’”
This verse is more than a prophetic indictment—it is a linguistic drama. At its heart lies an unusual syntactic construction: the abrupt shift from divine command (הַקְשִׁיבוּ) to human response (וַיֹּאמְרוּ). But what makes this structure particularly striking is the absence of an explicit subject for the imperative.
Let us explore how Biblical Hebrew uses imperatives without subjects to encode authority, expectation, and ultimately, resistance.
The Command Without a Subject: Imperative as Divine Instruction
The phrase in question is:
> הַקְשִׁיבוּ לְקֹול שֹׁופָר
> “Listen to the sound of the trumpet!”
This is an imperative form of the verb קָשַׁב (q-sh-b, “to listen”), in the Qal stem, second person plural masculine, prefixed with the imperative particle הַ-.
| Word | Root | Form | Literal Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַקְשִׁיבוּ | ק-ש-ב | Imperative, Qal, 2mp | “Listen!” | Used here as a direct command; the subject (“you”) is unexpressed but understood |
| צֹפִים | צ-פ-ה | Noun, masculine plural | “Watchmen” | Subject of the previous clause; those commanded |
| וַיֹּאמְרוּ | א-מ-ר | Wayyiqtol, Qal, 3mp | “And they said” | Sequential narrative past; introduces the response |
| לֹא נַקְשִׁיב | ק-ש-ב | Cohortative, Qal, 1cs | “We will not listen” | Volitional negative; expresses collective refusal |
What stands out is the use of the imperative הַקְשִׁיבוּ without an overt subject. In Biblical Hebrew, imperatives often omit the subject pronoun when it is clear from context or when the speaker wishes to emphasize authority or urgency. Here, the omission reinforces the divine voice’s commanding presence—the subject is assumed to be the prophets or appointed watchmen.
The Shift in Voice: From Command to Defiance
After the divine imperative comes the human response:
> וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא נַקְשִׁיב
> “And they said, ‘We will not listen.’”
This transition—from the voice of authority to the voice of defiance—is marked by two key shifts:
1. From imperative to wayyiqtol: The divine command is issued in the imperative mood, while the human reply is rendered in the narrative past tense.
2. From singular speaker to plural refusal: The speaker (God) gives a unified command; the recipients (the watchmen) respond in unison—but in negation.
The cohortative נַקְשִׁיב (“we will listen”) is negated by לֹא, transforming it into a volitive refusal. This is not mere disobedience—it is a collective declaration of autonomy, even if misguided.
The syntax thus mirrors the theological conflict: divine instruction meets human obstinacy. And because both clauses are rooted in the same verb root (ק-ש-ב), the repetition creates a kind of linguistic echo, reinforcing the theme of hearing refused.
When Silence Speaks Louder Than Sound
Jeremiah 6:17 is a microcosm of the prophetic struggle—a single line where grammar becomes prophecy. Through the imperative without a stated subject, the text asserts divine authority; through the cohortative refusal, it records human rebellion.
But perhaps most powerfully, the verse reminds us that in Biblical Hebrew, what is unsaid can be just as significant as what is spoken. The omitted “you” in הַקְשִׁיבוּ is not missing—it is implied, and thereby universalized. It could be addressed to the watchmen, yes—but also to all who have ears to hear.
And yet, they do not.
Thus, the final word is not a shout, but a silence. A silence born not of absence, but of refusal. And in that silence, the tragedy of the prophetic mission resounds like a trumpet never heard.