בְּֽכָל־צָרָתָ֣ם לֹא צָ֗ר וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ פָּנָיו֙ הֹֽושִׁיעָ֔ם בְּאַהֲבָתֹ֥ו וּבְחֶמְלָתֹ֖ו ה֣וּא גְאָלָ֑ם וַֽיְנַטְּלֵ֥ם וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֖ם כָּל־יְמֵ֥י עֹולָֽם׃
In all their distress, He was not a foe, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His compassion He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
Morphology
- בְּֽכָל־צָרָתָ֣ם (be-khol-tsaratam) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “In all their distress”; Notes: Refers to times of suffering or affliction.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following word, though this clause is textually debated.
- צָר (tsar) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Noun or adjective masculine singular; Translation: “foe” or “adversary”; Notes: Masoretic vocalization may imply “He was not their foe,” though some propose emendation to “He was afflicted.”
- וּמַלְאַ֤ךְ (u-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the angel”; Notes: Refers to a heavenly messenger or divine presence.
- פָּנָיו (panav) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “of His presence”; Notes: “The angel of His presence” suggests a close divine agent, possibly a theophany.
- הֹֽושִׁיעָ֔ם (hoshiaʿam) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “saved them”; Notes: Denotes deliverance or rescue, divine intervention.
- בְּאַהֲבָתֹ֥ו (be-ahavato) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in His love”; Notes: Describes motivation behind redemption.
- וּבְחֶמְלָתֹ֖ו (u-ve-ḥemlato) – Root: חמל (ḥamal); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and in His compassion”; Notes: Parallel to “His love”; denotes pity and tender mercy.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “He”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject: YHWH Himself.
- גְאָלָ֑ם (geʾalam) – Root: גאל (gaʾal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “He redeemed them”; Notes: Refers to act of deliverance or purchasing freedom, often with covenantal connotation.
- וַיְנַטְּלֵ֥ם (va-ynatteleim) – Root: נטל (natal); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and He lifted them”; Notes: Verb of raising or bearing up.
- וַיְנַשְּׂאֵ֖ם (va-yenasseʾm) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and He carried them”; Notes: Emphasizes divine sustenance and care.
- כָּל־יְמֵ֥י (kol-yemei) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Construct phrase; “all the days of”; Notes: Refers to continuous action over a long period.
- עֹולָֽם (ʿolam) – Root: עלם (ʿalam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “eternity” or “of old”; Notes: May refer to ancient times or a continuous span of time.