כְּצִפֳּרִ֣ים עָפֹ֔ות כֵּ֗ן יָגֵ֛ן יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹ֖ות עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם גָּנֹ֥ון וְהִצִּ֖יל פָּסֹ֥חַ וְהִמְלִֽיט׃
Like birds flying, so will YHWH of Hosts shield Yerushalayim, shielding and rescuing, passing over and delivering.
Morphology
- כְּצִפֳּרִ֣ים (ke-tsipporim) – Root: צפר; Form: Comparative preposition + noun feminine plural; Translation: “like birds”; Notes: Introduces a simile of protection and swiftness.
- עָפֹ֔ות (ʿafot) – Root: עוף; Form: Qal active participle feminine plural; Translation: “flying”; Notes: Describes birds in active flight.
- כֵּ֗ן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Connects the simile to its application.
- יָגֵ֛ן (yagen) – Root: יגן; Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will shield”; Notes: Describes divine protection as active and intentional.
- יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name of Israel’s God.
- צְבָאֹ֖ות (tsevaʾot) – Root: צבא; Form: Noun plural in construct; Translation: “of hosts”; Notes: Military title expressing YHWH’s supreme command.
- עַל־יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (ʿal-Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלים; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “upon Yerushalayim”; Notes: Refers to the holy city as the object of divine defense.
- גָּנֹ֥ון (ganon) – Root: גן; Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “shielding”; Notes: Reinforces or intensifies the previous verb (yagen), creating emphasis.
- וְהִצִּ֖יל (ve-hitsil) – Root: נצל; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he rescued”; Notes: Sequential or complementary action to shielding.
- פָּסֹ֥חַ (pasoʿaḥ) – Root: פסח; Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “passing over”; Notes: May allude to the idea of divine passing-over in mercy (cf. Pesaḥ).
- וְהִמְלִֽיט (ve-himlit) – Root: מלט; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he delivered”; Notes: Culminates the chain of divine saving actions.