יִשְׁגּ֤וּ צֹאנִי֙ בְּכָל־הֶ֣הָרִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל כָּל־גִּבְעָ֣ה רָמָ֑ה וְעַ֨ל כָּל־פְּנֵ֤י הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ נָפֹ֣צוּ צֹאנִ֔י וְאֵ֥ין דֹּורֵ֖שׁ וְאֵ֥ין מְבַקֵּֽשׁ׃
My flock wandered on all the mountains and on every high hill, and over all the face of the earth My flock was scattered, and there was no one seeking and no one searching.
Morphology
- יִשְׁגּוּ (yishgu) – Root: שׁגה (shagah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they wander”; Notes: Indicates straying or erring; used metaphorically of lost sheep or errant people.
- צֹאנִי (tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun common collective feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Symbol of Yisraʾel belonging to YHWH, denoting divine possession.
- בְּכָל־הֶהָרִים (be-khol-he-harim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “on all the mountains”; Notes: Describes the extent of wandering—across high places, often symbolic of idol worship sites.
- וְעַל (ve-ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַל; Translation: “and on”; Notes: Connects parallel clauses describing locations of dispersion.
- כָּל־גִּבְעָה (khol-givʿah) – Root: גבע (givʿah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “every hill”; Notes: Refers to elevated places where the flock wandered, often sites of pagan altars in prophetic imagery.
- רָמָה (ramah) – Root: רום (rum); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “high”; Notes: Describes the hills as lofty; emphasizes physical and metaphorical height of false worship sites.
- וְעַל (ve-ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַל; Translation: “and on”; Notes: Continues the list of areas where the flock scattered.
- כָּל־פְּנֵי (khol-penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “all the face of”; Notes: Idiomatic Hebrew expression for “throughout the surface of.”
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Refers to the entire land, possibly the world, emphasizing total dispersion.
- נָפֹצוּ (nafotsu) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were scattered”; Notes: Passive form indicating the flock was driven apart without control.
- צֹאנִי (tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun common collective feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis, reinforcing the belonging of YHWH’s people to Him despite their dispersion.
- וְאֵין (ve-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative existential particle; Translation: “and there was no”; Notes: Expresses complete absence of caring figures or seekers.
- דֹּורֵשׁ (doresh) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “one seeking”; Notes: Refers to active concern or inquiry for the lost flock.
- וְאֵין (ve-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative existential particle; Translation: “and no”; Notes: Repeats the statement to heighten the sense of abandonment.
- מְבַקֵּשׁ (mevaqqesh) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “one searching”; Notes: Piel intensifies the action—no one diligently seeking or pursuing the lost flock.