מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָקַ֧רְתָּ בְעֵינַ֛י נִכְבַּ֖דְתָּ וַאֲנִ֣י אֲהַבְתִּ֑יךָ וְאֶתֵּ֤ן אָדָם֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים תַּ֥חַת נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
Because you are precious in My eyes, you have been honored, and I have loved you; and I will give man in your place, and peoples in exchange for your life.
Morphology
- מֵאֲשֶׁ֨ר (meʾasher) – Root: אשׁר; Form: Preposition מִן + relative particle; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces the cause or reason for what follows.
- יָקַ֧רְתָּ (yaqarta) – Root: יקר; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you are precious”; Notes: Expresses value in the eyes of YHWH.
- בְעֵינַ֛י (be-ʿeinai) – Root: עין; Form: Preposition בְ + noun feminine plural in construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My eyes”; Notes: Indicates divine perspective or judgment.
- נִכְבַּ֖דְתָּ (nikhbadta) – Root: כבד; Form: Nifal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have been honored”; Notes: Passive form implying being made weighty or esteemed.
- וַאֲנִ֣י (va-ʾani) – Root: אני; Form: Conjunction וְ + pronoun; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Emphatic contrast or emphasis on divine subject.
- אֲהַבְתִּ֑יךָ (ʾahavtikha) – Root: אהב; Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I have loved you”; Notes: A statement of divine affection and covenant relationship.
- וְאֶתֵּ֤ן (ve-ʾetten) – Root: נתן; Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will give”; Notes: Future action expressing divine exchange.
- אָדָם֙ (adam) – Root: אדם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Generic term for human beings.
- תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ (taḥtekha) – Root: תחת; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your place”; Notes: Indicates substitutionary value.
- וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים (u-leʾummim) – Root: לאם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and peoples”; Notes: Refers to nations or ethnic groups.
- תַּ֥חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת; Form: Preposition; Translation: “in exchange for”; Notes: Parallel to earlier substitution, now applied to the soul/life.
- נַפְשֶֽׁךָ (nafshekha) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your soul” or “your life”; Notes: Denotes the whole being or life of a person.