וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֗יא תִּפָּל־נָ֤א תְחִנָּתֵ֨נוּ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל בַּעֲדֵ֨נוּ֙ אֶל־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּעַ֖ד כָּל־הַשְּׁאֵרִ֣ית הַזֹּ֑את כִּֽי־נִשְׁאַ֤רְנוּ מְעַט֙ מֵֽהַרְבֵּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עֵינֶ֖יךָ רֹאֹ֥ות אֹתָֽנוּ׃
And they said to Yirmeyahu the prophet, “Please let our supplication fall before you, and pray on behalf of us to YHWH your God, on behalf of all this remnant, for we are left a few out of many, as your eyes are seeing us.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ (el-Yirmeyahu) – Root: ירמיהו (Yirmeyahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yirmeyahu”; Notes: Direct object of address.
- הַנָּבִיא (ha-naviʾ) – Root: נבא (naviʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prophet”; Notes: Title of Yirmeyahu.
- תִּפָּל (tippal) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular (jussive); Translation: “let it fall”; Notes: Used in idiom “let the supplication fall.”
- נָא (na) – Root: particle of entreaty; Form: Interjection; Translation: “please”; Notes: Adds politeness to the request.
- תְחִנָּתֵנוּ (teḥinnatenu) – Root: חנן (ḥanan); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + 1cp suffix; Translation: “our supplication”; Notes: Petition offered to God.
- לְפָנֶיךָ (le-fanekha) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + noun plural construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Directing their request to Yirmeyahu.
- וְהִתְפַּלֵּל (ve-hitpallel) – Root: פלל (palal); Form: Hitpael imperative 2ms; Translation: “and pray”; Notes: Requesting intercessory prayer.
- בַּעֲדֵנוּ (baʿadenu) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “on behalf of us”; Notes: Indicates intercession.
- אֶל־יְהוָה (el-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: God as the addressee of prayer.
- אֱלֹהֶיךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Acknowledges YHWH as Yirmeyahu’s God.
- בְּעַד (be-ʿad) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition; Translation: “on behalf of”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes intercession for the people.
- כָּל־הַשְּׁאֵרִית (kol-ha-sheʾerit) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Noun feminine singular with כָּל + definite article; Translation: “all the remnant”; Notes: Survivors after exile and destruction.
- הַזֹּאת (ha-zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the remnant being addressed.
- כִּי־נִשְׁאַרְנוּ (ki-nishʾarnu) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Nifal perfect 1cp; Translation: “for we are left”; Notes: Refers to survival from catastrophe.
- מְעַט (meʿat) – Root: מעט (maʿat); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a few”; Notes: Contrast with “many.”
- מֵהַרְבֵּה (me-harbeh) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “out of many”; Notes: Emphasizes dramatic reduction in numbers.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces comparison.
- עֵינֶיךָ (ʿeineikha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun feminine dual + 2ms suffix; Translation: “your eyes”; Notes: Indicates direct observation by Yirmeyahu.
- רֹאֹות (roʾot) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal participle feminine plural; Translation: “seeing”; Notes: Progressive action of perception.
- אֹתָנוּ (otanu) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 1cp suffix; Translation: “us”; Notes: The remnant as the object seen.