Jeremiah 14:3

וְאַדִּ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם שָׁלְח֥וּ צעוריהם לַמָּ֑יִם בָּ֣אוּ עַל־גֵּבִ֞ים לֹא־מָ֣צְאוּ מַ֗יִם שָׁ֤בוּ כְלֵיהֶם֙ רֵיקָ֔ם בֹּ֥שׁוּ וְהָכְלְמ֖וּ וְחָפ֥וּ רֹאשָֽׁם׃

And their nobles sent their youths for water; they came to the cisterns, they did not find water. They returned, vessels empty, they were ashamed and humiliated, and they covered their heads.

Morphology

1. וְאַדִּ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם (ve-addirēhem) – Root: אדר; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their nobles”; Notes: Refers to the ruling or upper class.
2. שָׁלְח֥וּ (shalḥu) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they sent”; Notes: Past narrative verb describing their initiative.
3. צעוריהם (tzeʿurēhem) – Root: צעיר; Form: Noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their youths”; Notes: Likely servants or young men.
4. לַמָּ֑יִם (la-mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “for water”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of their being sent.
5. בָּ֣אוּ (baʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they came”; Notes: Arrival at the destination—cisterns.
6. עַל־גֵּבִ֞ים (ʿal-gevim) – Root: גֵּב; Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the cisterns”; Notes: Refers to pits or reservoirs used for water collection.
7. לֹא־מָ֣צְאוּ (lo-matzeʾu) – Root: מצא; Form: Negative particle לֹא + Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they did not find”; Notes: Expresses failure to obtain water.
8. מַ֗יִם (mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun masculine plural (dual in form); Translation: “water”; Notes: The object they sought but did not find.
9. שָׁ֤בוּ (shavu) – Root: שוב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they returned”; Notes: Describes the result of their fruitless search.
10. כְלֵיהֶם (kleihem) – Root: כּלי; Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their vessels”; Notes: Refers to water containers or jars.
11. רֵיקָ֔ם (reiqam) – Root: ריק; Form: Adverb; Translation: “empty”; Notes: Indicates their vessels had no water—complete failure.
12. בֹּ֥שׁוּ (boshu) – Root: בוש; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they were ashamed”; Notes: Emotional response to the failure.
13. וְהָכְלְמ֖וּ (ve-hoklemu) – Root: כלם; Form: Conjunction וְ + Hophal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “and they were humiliated”; Notes: Passive intensive form heightening the sense of shame.
14. וְחָפ֥וּ (ve-ḥafu) – Root: חפה; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “and they covered”; Notes: Indicates a mourning gesture or expression of deep shame.
15. רֹאשָֽׁם (roʾsham) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their heads”; Notes: Object of the verb—covering the head is an act of mourning or humiliation.