וְעַתָּ֕ה שְֽׁמַֽע־נָ֖א אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתִי֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְאַל־תְּשִׁבֵ֗נִי בֵּ֚ית יְהֹונָתָ֣ן הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א אָמ֖וּת שָֽׁם׃
And now, please hear, my lord the king, let my supplication fall before you, and do not cause me to return to the house of Yehonatan the scribe, lest I die there.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Transitional phrase introducing plea.
- שְׁמַע (shemaʿ) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “hear”; Notes: Direct petition.
- נָא (na) – Root: נא; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Adds politeness to the imperative.
- אֲדֹנִי (ʾadoni) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Title of respect to the king.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Identifies the addressee as Tsidqiyahu.
- תִּפָּל (tippal) – Root: נפל; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular (jussive); Translation: “let … fall”; Notes: Subject is “my supplication.”
- נָא (na) – Root: נא; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Adds urgency to request.
- תְּחִנָּתִי (teḥinnati) – Root: חנן; Form: Noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my supplication”; Notes: Refers to Jeremiah’s plea for mercy.
- לְפָנֶיךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates placement of the supplication.
- וְאַל (ve-ʾal) – Root: אל; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and do not”; Notes: Introduces negative command.
- תְּשִׁבֵנִי (teshibeini) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Hiphil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “cause me to return”; Notes: Refers to sending Jeremiah back to prison.
- בֵּית (beit) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “house of”; Notes: Construct with “Yehonatan.”
- יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan) – Root: יהונתן; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehonatan”; Notes: The scribe whose house was used as a prison.
- הַסֹּפֵר (ha-sofer) – Root: ספר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the scribe”; Notes: Identifies Yehonatan’s position.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “lest not”; Notes: Expresses fear of consequence.
- אָמֻת (amut) – Root: מות; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular (jussive nuance); Translation: “I die”; Notes: Jeremiah’s fear of death in prison.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: שם; Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the prison of Yehonatan.