בְּהֵעָצֵ֥ר שָׁמַ֛יִם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה מָטָ֖ר כִּ֣י יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֑ךְ וְהִֽתְפַּֽלְל֞וּ אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֤ום הַזֶּה֙ וְהֹוד֣וּ אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וּמֵחַטָּאתָ֥ם יְשׁוּב֖וּן כִּ֥י תַעֲנֵֽם׃
When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn back from their sin because You afflict them,
Morphology
- בְּהֵעָצֵ֥ר (be-heʿatser) – Root: עצר; Form: Preposition + Nifal infinitive construct; Translation: “when it is withheld”; Notes: Passive—refers to the heavens being shut up (withholding rain).
- שָׁמַ֛יִם (shamayim) – Root: שׁמים; Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “heavens”; Notes: Subject of the withholding—source of rain.
- וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה (ve-lo yihyeh) – Root: היה; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and there is no / shall not be”; Notes: Expresses negative future condition.
- מָטָ֖ר (matar) – Root: מטר; Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “rain”; Notes: Essential for life—symbol of divine blessing or judgment.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for divine withholding.
- יֶחֶטְאוּ־לָ֑ךְ (yeḥetʾu-lakh) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + preposition; Translation: “they sin against You”; Notes: Cause of the judgment.
- וְהִתְפַּֽלְל֞וּ (ve-hitpallelu) – Root: פלל; Form: Conjunction + Hitpael perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they pray”; Notes: Reflexive—earnest personal prayer.
- אֶל־הַמָּקֹ֤ום (el-ha-maqom) – Root: קום; Form: Preposition + definite masculine singular noun; Translation: “toward the place”; Notes: Refers to the Temple as the site of divine presence.
- הַזֶּה (hazzeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the place of prayer.
- וְהֹודוּ (ve-hodu) – Root: ידה; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they confess”; Notes: Confession of sin or acknowledgment of YHWH’s name.
- אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ (et-shemekha) – Root: שם; Form: Direct object marker + masculine singular noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Your name”; Notes: Represents YHWH’s authority and person.
- וּמֵחַטָּאתָ֥ם (u-me-ḥattatam) – Root: חטא; Form: Conjunction + preposition + feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and from their sin”; Notes: The turning away or repentance.
- יְשׁוּב֖וּן (yeshuvun) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with nun paragogicum; Translation: “they turn back”; Notes: Repentance; the extra nun indicates emphasis or poetic form.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Gives reason for repentance.
- תַעֲנֵֽם (taʿanem) – Root: ענה; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “You afflict them”; Notes: Divine discipline intended to correct.