הֲבִנְהָרִים֙ חָרָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אִ֤ם בַּנְּהָרִים֙ אַפֶּ֔ךָ אִם־בַּיָּ֖ם עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֤י תִרְכַּב֙ עַל־סוּסֶ֔יךָ מַרְכְּבֹתֶ֖יךָ יְשׁוּעָֽה׃
Was YHWH furious at the rivers? Was Your anger against the rivers, was Your wrath against the sea, that You ride upon Your horses, Your chariots of salvation?
Morphology
- הֲ (ha) – Root: הֲ (ha); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “was…?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expecting “no.”
- בִנְהָרִים (bi-neharim) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “at the rivers”; Notes: Refers to bodies of water in the theophany.
- חָרָה (ḥarah) – Root: חרה (ḥarah); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “was angry”; Notes: Denotes intense divine anger.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the rhetorical question.
- אִם (im) – Root: אם (im); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “was…?”; Notes: Continues the rhetorical framing.
- בַּנְּהָרִים (ba-neharim) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “against the rivers”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- אַפֶּךָ (appekha) – Root: אף (af); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2ms; Translation: “Your anger”; Notes: Anthropopathic expression for divine wrath.
- אִם (im) – Root: אם (im); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “was…?”; Notes: Begins a third rhetorical clause.
- בַּיָּם (ba-yam) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “against the sea”; Notes: Alludes to the Red Sea or cosmic waters.
- עֶבְרָתֶךָ (evratekha) – Root: עבר (avar); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 2ms; Translation: “Your wrath”; Notes: Strong term for overflowing fury.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the true reason for the theophany.
- תִּרְכַּב (tirkav) – Root: רכב (rakhav); Form: Qal imperfect 2ms; Translation: “You ride”; Notes: Imagery of a divine warrior.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Introduces what YHWH rides upon.
- סוּסֶיךָ (susekha) – Root: סוס (sus); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “Your horses”; Notes: Part of the divine chariot imagery.
- מַרְכְּבֹתֶיךָ (markevotekha) – Root: רכב (rakhav); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “Your chariots”; Notes: Symbolizes divine power and deliverance.
- יְשׁוּעָה (yeshuʿah) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “salvation”; Notes: The purpose of YHWH’s coming—not wrath against waters but salvation for His people.