אֲנִ֨י אֶרְעֶ֤ה צֹאנִי֙ וַאֲנִ֣י אַרְבִּיצֵ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
I Myself will feed My flock, and I Myself will cause them to lie down,” declares the Lord YHWH.
Morphology
- אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Independent personal pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Used emphatically to stress YHWH’s personal involvement.
- אֶרְעֶה (erʿeh) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “will feed”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s direct pastoral care—He Himself nourishes and tends His flock.
- צֹאנִי (tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun feminine singular collective + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s people, showing ownership and intimate relationship.
- וַאֲנִי (va-ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Conjunction וַ + independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Repetition strengthens the emphasis—YHWH alone fulfills both actions personally.
- אַרְבִּיצֵם (arbbitsem) – Root: רבץ (ravat͏s); Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “will cause them to lie down”; Notes: Causative—YHWH brings His flock to rest and safety; implies peace and security under His care.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “utterance” or “declaration”; Notes: A prophetic formula introducing or concluding YHWH’s solemn speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular possessive used as divine title; Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Title of divine authority and mastery.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal, covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel, signifying His eternal and self-existent nature.