וְאָנֹכִ֤י תִרְגַּ֨לְתִּי֙ לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם קָחָ֖ם עַל־זְרֹֽועֹתָ֑יו וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ כִּ֥י רְפָאתִֽים׃
And I it was who taught Efrayim to walk; I took them upon His arms, but they did not know that I healed them.
Morphology
- וְאָנֹכִי (ve-anokhi) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun 1cs; Translation: “And I”; Notes: The pronoun adds emphasis—YHWH Himself acted tenderly toward His people as a parent.
- תִרְגַּלְתִּי (tirgalti) – Root: רגל (ragal); Form: Piel perfect 1cs; Translation: “I taught to walk”; Notes: Literally “I made to walk.” A tender image of a parent teaching a child to walk—symbolizing YHWH’s nurturing guidance of Ephrayim.
- לְאֶפְרַיִם (le-Efrayim) – Root: אפרים (Efrayim); Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to Ephrayim”; Notes: Ephrayim represents the northern kingdom of Yisraʾel, addressed here with parental tenderness and disappointment.
- קָחָם (qaḥam) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal perfect 1cs + suffix 3mp; Translation: “I took them”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s care—carrying His people as a parent lifts a child.
- עַל־זְרֹועֹתָיו (ʿal-zeroʿotav) – Root: זרוע (zeroaʿ); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “upon His arms”; Notes: A vivid anthropomorphic metaphor for divine strength and protection—YHWH upholding His people in care and power.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Introduces contrast—they received divine care yet failed to acknowledge it.
- יָדְעוּ (yadʿu) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they knew”; Notes: Refers to recognition and gratitude—Yisraʾel’s failure to perceive YHWH’s healing and providence.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the subordinate clause explaining what they failed to recognize.
- רְפָאתִים (refaʾtim) – Root: רפא (rafaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1cs + suffix 3mp; Translation: “I healed them”; Notes: Healing here symbolizes both physical restoration and spiritual forgiveness—YHWH’s redemptive acts unacknowledged by His people.