לָ֤מָּה תִֽהְיֶה֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ נִדְהָ֔ם כְּגִבֹּ֖ור לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהֹושִׁ֑יעַ וְאַתָּ֧ה בְקִרְבֵּ֣נוּ יְהוָ֗ה וְשִׁמְךָ֛ עָלֵ֥ינוּ נִקְרָ֖א אַל־תַּנִּחֵֽנוּ׃ ס
Why should You be like a man stunned, like a warrior who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, O YHWH, and Your name is called upon us; do not forsake us.
Morphology
- לָמָּה (lammah) – Root: מה; Form: Interrogative particle with prefixed לְ; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expressing distress or confusion.
- תִֽהְיֶה (tiheyeh) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “should You be”; Notes: Addressed directly to YHWH, expressing perceived inaction.
- כְּאִישׁ (keʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a man”; Notes: Introduces simile.
- נִדְהָם (nidham) – Root: דהם; Form: Niphal participle masculine singular; Translation: “stunned” or “astonished”; Notes: Conveys shock, immobility, or helplessness.
- כְּגִבֹּור (ke-gibbor) – Root: גבר; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a warrior”; Notes: Continuing the simile—now with military imagery.
- לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל (lo-yukhal) – Root: יכל; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who cannot”; Notes: Expresses inability or powerlessness.
- לְהֹושִׁיעַ (le-hoshiʿa) – Root: ישע; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to save”; Notes: Expresses action expected of YHWH as deliverer.
- וְאַתָּה (ve-ʾattah) – Root: אתה; Form: Independent pronoun 2nd person masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “Yet You”; Notes: Strong contrastive emphasis to previous complaint.
- בְקִרְבֵּנוּ (be-qirbenu) – Root: קרב; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “in our midst”; Notes: Implies presence of YHWH among His people.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- וְשִׁמְךָ (ve-shimkha) – Root: שם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and Your name”; Notes: Refers to divine reputation and authority.
- עָלֵינוּ (ʿaleinu) – Root: עלה; Form: Preposition + 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “upon us”; Notes: Indicates identification and ownership.
- נִקְרָא (niqra) – Root: קרא; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has been called”; Notes: Passive form indicating designation or naming.
- אַל־תַּנִּחֵנוּ (ʾal-tannichenu) – Root: נוח; Form: Negative particle + Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “do not forsake us”; Notes: Plea for continued presence and care.