תַּ֣חַת אֲבֹתֶיךָ יִהְי֣וּ בָנֶיךָ תְּשִׁיתֵ֥מֹו לְשָׂרִים בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ׃
Instead of your fathers shall be your sons, you will set them as princes in all the earth.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | תַּחַת | taḥat | “instead of” | Prep |
| 2 | אֲבֹתֶיךָ | ʾavotekha | “Your fathers” | N(mp) + suff 2ms |
| 3 | יִהְיוּ | yihyu | “they shall be” | Qal imperfect 3mp |
| 4 | בָנֶיךָ | vanekha | “Your sons” | N(mp) + suff 2ms |
| 5 | תְּשִׁיתֵמֹו | teshitemo | “You will set them” | Qal imperfect 2ms + suff 3mp |
| 6 | לְשָׂרִים | le-sarim | “as princes” | Prep לְ + N(mp) |
| 7 | בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ | be-khol-ha-ʾarets | “in all the earth” | Prep בְּ + N(ms) + Def. art. |
Morphology
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (t-ḥ-t); Root Type: Strong; Form: Preposition; Translation: “instead of”; Notes: Indicates substitution or succession. While תַּחַת can mean “underneath” physically, in this genealogical context, it refers to succession. It implies a transition of generations: the glory of the past (ancestors) is being replaced by the potential of the future (descendants).
- אֲבֹתֶיךָ (ʾavotekha) – Root: אב (ʾ-b); Root Type: I-Guttural (א) (weak); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Your fathers”; Notes: Refers to previous generations or ancestors.
- יִהְיוּ (yihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Indicates future state or transformation. The Hebrew verb יִהְי֣וּ (yihyu) is an imperfect form. In biblical Hebrew, this often functions as a jussive or a promise, not just a simple future statement, but a declaration of what is to happen by divine or royal decree.
- בָנֶיךָ (vanekha) – Root: בן (b-n); Root Type: I-Nun (weak); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Your sons”; Notes: Represents the next generation.
- תְּשִׁיתֵמֹו (teshitemo) – Root: שׁית (sh-y-t); Root Type: Hollow (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “You will set them”; Notes: Indicates appointment or establishment. The word תְּשִׁיתֵ֥מֹו (teshitemo) contains an archaic poetic suffix (-mo). The translation “set them” correctly identifies that the “sons” are the object being appointed to office.
- לְשָׂרִים (le-sarim) – Root: שׂרר (ś-r-r); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “as princes”; Notes: Denotes positions of authority.
- בְּכָל־הָאָרֶץ (be-khol-ha-ʾarets) – Root: כל (k-l) + ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Root Type: Strong + I-Guttural (א) (weak); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct (state: construct) + definite article הַ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in all the earth”; Notes: Expresses universal scope.