וַיִּשָּׁבַ֞ע הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֛הוּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בַּסֵּ֣תֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר חַי־יְהוָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר֩ עָשָׂה־לָ֨נוּ אֶת־הַנֶּ֤פֶשׁ הַזֹּאת֙ אִם־אֲמִיתֶ֔ךָ וְאִם־אֶתֶּנְךָ֗ בְּיַד֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ ס
And King Tsidqiyyahu swore to Yirmeyahu in secret, saying, “As YHWH lives, who made for us this life, surely I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשָּׁבַע (va-yishavaʿ) – Root: שׁבע; Form: Nifal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he swore”; Notes: Nifal is reflexive-passive; here a formal oath formula.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the oath.
- צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsidqiyahu) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tsidqiyahu”; Notes: King of Judah during Yirmeyahu’s ministry.
- אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ (ʾel-Yirmeyahu) – Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yirmeyahu”; Notes: Addressee of the oath.
- בַּסֵּתֶר (ba-seter) – Root: סתר; Form: Preposition בְּ + article + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in secret”; Notes: Indicates private setting.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- חַי (ḥai) – Root: חי; Form: Adjective masculine singular used in oath formula; Translation: “as lives”; Notes: Standard introduction to a solemn oath.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name invoked in the oath.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- עָשָׂה (ʿasah) – Root: עשׂה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “made”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s creative act.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Beneficiary of the action.
- אֶת־הַנֶּפֶשׁ (ʾet-ha-nefesh) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the life”; Notes: Refers to the soul or life-breath.
- הַזֹּאת (ha-zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular with article; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphasizes “this life.”
- אִם (ʾim) – Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if/surely not”; Notes: Used in oath formulas to negate action emphatically.
- אֲמִיתֶךָ (ʾamitekha) – Root: מות; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I will put you to death”; Notes: Negated by oath structure.
- וְאִם (ve-ʾim) – Form: Conjunction + conditional particle; Translation: “nor if”; Notes: Coordinated negative condition.
- אֶתֶּנְךָ (ʾettenkha) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I will give you”; Notes: Negated by oath, promises protection.
- בְּיַד (be-yad) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “into the hand”; Notes: Idiom for “into the power.”
- הָאֲנָשִׁים (ha-anashim) – Root: אנשׁ; Form: Noun masculine plural with article; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Those plotting against Yirmeyahu.
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-elleh) – Root: אלה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun plural with article; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the hostile men.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- מְבַקְשִׁים (mevaqqeshim) – Root: בקשׁ; Form: Piel participle masculine plural; Translation: “are seeking”; Notes: Ongoing hostile intent.
- אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ (ʾet-nafshekha) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular in construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your life”; Notes: Object of hostile intent, Yirmeyahu’s life.