וְאַבִּיט֙ וְאֵ֣ין עֹזֵ֔ר וְאֶשְׁתֹּומֵ֖ם וְאֵ֣ין סֹומֵ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֤ושַֽׁע לִי֙ זְרֹעִ֔י וַחֲמָתִ֖י הִ֥יא סְמָכָֽתְנִי׃
And I looked, but there was no helper; and I was appalled, but there was no supporter. Then My arm brought salvation for Me, and My wrath, it supported Me.
Morphology
- וְאַבִּיט (ve-abbit) – Root: נבט (navat); Form: Hifil imperfect 1st person singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “And I looked”; Notes: Expresses an intentional act of searching or expecting assistance.
- וְאֵ֣ין (ve-ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “but there was no”; Notes: Indicates absence or nonexistence.
- עֹזֵר (ʿozer) – Root: עזר (ʿazar); Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “helper”; Notes: Someone to assist in the moment of need—none was found.
- וְאֶשְׁתֹּומֵם (ve-eshtomem) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Hitpael imperfect 1st person singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and I was appalled” or “astonished”; Notes: Reflects dismay or stunned silence.
- וְאֵ֣ין (ve-ein) – Root: אין (ein); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “but there was no”; Notes: Repeated for rhetorical emphasis.
- סֹומֵךְ (somekh) – Root: סמך (samakh); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “supporter”; Notes: One who upholds or strengthens—again, none present.
- וַתֹּושַֽׁע (va-toshʿa) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “then brought salvation”; Notes: Refers to the next clause’s subject: “My arm.”
- לִי (li) – Root: לי (li); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for Me”; Notes: Emphasizes personal deliverance.
- זְרֹעִי (zroʿi) – Root: זרע (zroaʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My arm”; Notes: Symbol of strength and power—divine self-sufficiency.
- וַחֲמָתִי (va-ḥamati) – Root: חמה (ḥemah); Form: Noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and My wrath”; Notes: Emotion of divine indignation, paired with action.
- הִיא (hiʾ) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers back to “My wrath.”
- סְמָכָֽתְנִי (semakhatni) – Root: סמך (samakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “supported Me”; Notes: Indicates that YHWH’s own wrath upheld or empowered Him.