וְהֵשִׁ֨יבוּ֙ אֶל־לִבָּ֔ם בָּאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁבּוּ־שָׁ֑ם וְשָׁ֣בוּ וְהִֽתְחַנְּנ֣וּ אֵלֶ֗יךָ בְּאֶ֤רֶץ שֹֽׁבֵיהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חָטָ֥אנוּ וְהֶעֱוִ֖ינוּ רָשָֽׁעְנוּ׃
and they take it to heart in the land where they were taken captive, and they return and plead to You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and we have acted perversely, we have done wickedly,’
Morphology
- וְהֵשִׁיבוּ (ve-heshivu) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they take [it] to heart / consider”; Notes: Reflective realization in exile.
- אֶל־לִבָּם (el-libam) – Root: לבב; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to their heart”; Notes: Figurative for inner reflection or realization.
- בָּאָרֶץ (ba-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite feminine singular noun; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: The place of captivity.
- אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבּוּ־שָׁם (asher nishbu-sham) – Root: שׁבה; Form: Relative pronoun + Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine plural + adverb; Translation: “where they were taken captive”; Notes: Passive of being taken into exile.
- וְשָׁבוּ (ve-shavu) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they return”; Notes: Refers to repentance or turning back to God.
- וְהִתְחַנְּנוּ (ve-hitḥannenu) – Root: חנן; Form: Conjunction + Hitpael perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they plead”; Notes: Intense supplication and seeking mercy.
- אֵלֶיךָ (eleikha) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to You”; Notes: Directed toward YHWH.
- בְּאֶרֶץ שֹׁבֵיהֶם (be-erets shoveihem) – Root: ארץ / שׁבה; Form: Preposition + noun + masculine plural participle with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in the land of their captors”; Notes: Place of exile and prayer.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- חָטָאנוּ (ḥatanu) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have sinned”; Notes: Confession of guilt.
- וְהֶעֱוִינוּ (ve-heʿevinu) – Root: עוה; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “and we have acted perversely”; Notes: Acknowledgment of deliberate wrongdoing.
- רָשָׁעְנוּ (rashaʿnu) – Root: רשע; Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have done wickedly”; Notes: Culminates the confession triad.