יִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִדְבָּ֔ר וּבְתֹ֖הוּ יְלֵ֣ל יְשִׁמֹ֑ן יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ יְבֹ֣ונְנֵ֔הוּ יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ כְּאִישֹׁ֥ון עֵינֹֽו׃
He found him in a desert land, and in the waste of a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He gave him understanding, He guarded him like the pupil of His eye.
Morphology
- יִמְצָאֵ֨הוּ֙ (yimtza’ehu) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “He found him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH finding Yisra’el.
- בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (be’erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Feminine singular noun with preposition “in”; Translation: “in a land”; Notes: Refers to the geographical context, a desert land.
- מִדְבָּ֔ר (midbar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “desert”; Notes: A barren, uninhabited region.
- וּבְתֹ֖הוּ (uvtohu) – Root: תהו (t-h-w); Form: Masculine singular noun with conjunction “and in”; Translation: “and in the waste”; Notes: Signifies chaos or desolation.
- יְלֵ֣ל (yeleil) – Root: ילל (y-l-l); Form: Masculine singular noun in construct form; Translation: “howling”; Notes: Describes the eerie sounds of the wilderness.
- יְשִׁמֹ֑ן (yeshimon) – Root: שׁמה (sh-m-h); Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: Refers to a desolate, uninhabited place.
- יְסֹֽבְבֶ֨נְהוּ֙ (yesovevenu) – Root: סבב (s-b-b); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “He encircled him”; Notes: Suggests protection and care.
- יְבֹ֣ונְנֵ֔הוּ (yevonenhu) – Root: בין (b-y-n); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “He gave him understanding”; Notes: Imparts wisdom or discernment.
- יִצְּרֶ֖נְהוּ (yitzrenhu) – Root: צור (ts-w-r); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “He guarded him”; Notes: Conveys a sense of preservation and protection.
- כְּאִישֹׁ֥ון (ke’ishon) – Root: אישון (ʾ-y-sh-w-n); Form: Masculine singular noun with preposition “like”; Translation: “like the pupil”; Notes: Metaphor for something precious and carefully protected.
- עֵינֹֽו (einov) – Root: עין (ʿ-y-n); Form: Feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “of His eye”; Notes: Indicates tender care and attention.