כְּבַקָּרַת֩ רֹעֶ֨ה עֶדְרֹ֜ו בְּיֹום־הֱיֹותֹ֤ו בְתֹוךְ־צֹאנֹו֙ נִפְרָשֹׁ֔ות כֵּ֖ן אֲבַקֵּ֣ר אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וְהִצַּלְתִּ֣י אֶתְהֶ֗ם מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹומֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָפֹ֣צוּ שָׁ֔ם בְּיֹ֥ום עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
As a shepherd inspects his flock in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so will I inspect My flock and will deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of cloud and thick darkness.
Morphology
- כְּבַקָּרַת (ke-vaqqarat) – Root: בקר (baqar); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “as the inspection of”; Notes: Compares YHWH’s searching to that of a shepherd examining his flock.
- רֹעֶה (roʿeh) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a shepherd”; Notes: Represents the caretaker or protector of the flock; here a metaphor for divine leadership.
- עֶדְרֹו (ʿedro) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his flock”; Notes: Indicates the shepherd’s own sheep under his care.
- בְּיֹום־הֱיֹותֹו (be-yom-he-yoto) – Root: יום (yom) / היה (hayah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct + infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in the day of his being”; Notes: Describes the time when the shepherd is present among his flock.
- בְתֹוךְ־צֹאנֹו (be-tokh-tsono) – Root: תוך (tokh) / צאן (tson); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of his flock”; Notes: Indicates the shepherd’s nearness and involvement with his sheep.
- נִפְרָשֹׁות (nifrashot) – Root: פרשׁ (parash); Form: Nifal participle feminine plural; Translation: “that are scattered”; Notes: Passive participle describing sheep separated from the main flock.
- כֵּן (ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Introduces the comparison—what follows parallels the shepherd’s action.
- אֲבַקֵּר (avaqqer) – Root: בקר (baqar); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will inspect”; Notes: Piel intensifies the action—YHWH will personally and carefully examine His flock.
- אֶת־צֹאנִי (ʾet-tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Emphasizes divine ownership and tender concern.
- וְהִצַּלְתִּי (ve-hitsalti) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will deliver”; Notes: Causative—YHWH will rescue His flock from danger or dispersion.
- אֶתְהֶם (ethem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the scattered flock of YHWH.
- מִכָּל־הַמְּקֹומֹות (mi-kol-ha-meqomot) – Root: מקום (maqom); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “from all the places”; Notes: Expresses the total scope of the flock’s dispersion.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “where” or “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause explaining where the scattering occurred.
- נָפֹצוּ (nafotsu) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they were scattered”; Notes: Refers to the flock’s dispersion due to neglectful shepherds or external threats.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates the locations of scattering, stressing dispersion into many lands.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Sets temporal context for the events described.
- עָנָן (ʿanan) – Root: ענן (ʿanan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “cloud”; Notes: Symbol of judgment or divine presence, part of a pair expressing gloom and calamity.
- וַעֲרָפֶל (va-ʿarafel) – Root: ערפל (ʿarafel); Form: Conjunction וַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and thick darkness”; Notes: Denotes obscurity or trouble—an image of crisis from which YHWH will rescue His people.