וְלֹֽא־אָמְר֣וּ בִלְבָבָ֗ם נִ֤ירָא נָא֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ הַנֹּתֵ֗ן גֶּ֛שֶׁם וַיּוֹרֶ֛ה וּמַלְקֹ֖ושׁ בְּעִתֹּ֑ו שְׁבֻעֹ֛ות חֻקֹּ֥ות קָצִ֖יר יִשְׁמָר־לָֽנוּ׃
And they did not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear YHWH our God, who gives rain, the early and the latter rain in its season, who preserves for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’
Morphology
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces negation of their inner reflection.
- אָמְרוּ (amru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they said”; Notes: Refers to unspoken or inner speech in context.
- בִלְבָבָם (bilvavam) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 3mp suffix; Translation: “in their heart”; Notes: Indicates internal thought or intention.
- נִירָא (nira) – Root: ירא; Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “Let us fear”; Notes: Expresses a wish or exhortation.
- נָא (na) – Root: נא; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “now”; Notes: Adds urgency or politeness to the cohortative.
- אֶת־יְהוָה (et-YHWH) – Root: את / היה; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of their proper fear and reverence.
- אֱלֹהֵינוּ (Eloheinu) – Root: אלה; Form: Construct masculine plural noun + 1cp suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Possessive reference to the God of Yisraʾel.
- הַנֹּתֵן (ha-noten) – Root: נתן; Form: Hifil participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “who gives”; Notes: Present or habitual action describing YHWH.
- גֶּשֶׁם (geshem) – Root: גשם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “rain”; Notes: General term for rainfall.
- וַיּוֹרֶה (va-yoreh) – Root: ירה; Form: Conjunction + Hifil participle masculine singular (or jussive-like form); Translation: “and the early rain”; Notes: “Yoreh” is the autumn rain signaling the start of the agricultural season.
- וּמַלְקֹושׁ (u-malkosh) – Root: לקשׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the latter rain”; Notes: Spring rain that matures the crops before harvest.
- בְּעִתּוֹ (be-ʿitto) – Root: עת; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + 3ms suffix; Translation: “in its season”; Notes: Indicates appropriate timing and divine order.
- שְׁבֻעוֹת (shevuʿot) – Root: שבע; Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “weeks”; Notes: Refers to the counting of weeks leading to harvest.
- חֻקּוֹת (ḥuqqot) – Root: חקק; Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “ordinances”; Notes: Fixed patterns or laws, especially agricultural cycles.
- קָצִיר (qatsir) – Root: קצר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “harvest”; Notes: The result of agricultural growth following the rains.
- יִשְׁמָר (yishmar) – Root: שמר; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He preserves”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s continued care and protection.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Emphasizes God’s benevolent provision toward His people.