וְעַתָּ֛ה חַלּוּ־נָ֥א פְנֵי־אֵ֖ל וִֽיחָנֵ֑נוּ מִיֶּדְכֶם֙ הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֔את הֲיִשָּׂ֤א מִכֶּם֙ פָּנִ֔ים אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃
“And now entreat, please, the face of God that he may be gracious to us. From your hand has this been. Will he lift up from you faces?” says YHWH of Hosts.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿatah); Form: Conjunction וְ + adverb עַתָּה; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Transitional particle introducing appeal.
- חַלּוּ (ḥallu) – Root: חלה (ḥalah); Form: Piel imperative masculine plural; Translation: “entreat”; Notes: Intensive stem used for earnest supplication.
- נָא (na) – Root: —; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Softens or intensifies the imperative.
- פְנֵי (penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “face of”; Notes: Construct form governing the following noun.
- אֵל (ʾEl) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “ʾGod”; Notes: Generic designation for God.
- וִיחָנֵנוּ (vi-ḥanenu) – Root: חנן (ḥanan); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “that he may be gracious to us”; Notes: Jussive nuance expressing desired divine favor.
- מִיֶּדְכֶם (mi-yedkhem) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular construct + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “from your hand”; Notes: Indicates agency or source.
- הָיְתָה (hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has been”; Notes: Agrees with זֹּאת.
- זֹּאת (zot) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the defective offerings mentioned previously.
- הֲיִשָּׂא (ha-yissaʾ) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Interrogative הֲ + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will he lift up”; Notes: Part of idiom meaning “show favor.”
- מִכֶּם (mi-kem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “from you”; Notes: Indicates source or object of favor.
- פָּנִים (panim) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “faces”; Notes: Object of יִשָּׂא in idiomatic expression.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- צְבָאֹות (Tsevaʾot) – Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute in construct with יְהוָה; Translation: “Hosts”; Notes: Title emphasizing divine sovereignty over all powers.