רַ֧ק בַּאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ חָשַׁ֥ק יְהוָ֖ה לְאַהֲבָ֣ה אֹותָ֑ם וַיִּבְחַ֞ר בְּזַרְעָ֣ם אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם בָּכֶ֛ם מִכָּל־הָעַמִּ֖ים כַּיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃
Only in your fathers did YHWH delight to love them, and He chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day.
Morphology
- רַ֧ק (raq) – Root: רק (raq); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Only”; Notes: Indicates exclusivity or emphasis.
- בַּאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ (ba-avotekha) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with preposition and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs of Israel.
- חָשַׁ֥ק (ḥashaq) – Root: חשׁק (ḥashaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He delighted”; Notes: Describes YHWH’s affection or desire.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- לְאַהֲבָ֣ה (le-ahavah) – Root: אהב (ʾahav); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to love”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s loving choice of the patriarchs.
- אֹותָ֑ם (otam) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs.
- וַיִּבְחַ֞ר (va-yivḥar) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular (wayyiqtol); Translation: “and He chose”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s selection of their descendants.
- בְּזַרְעָ֣ם (be-zarʿam) – Root: זרע (zeraʿ); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix and preposition; Translation: “their offspring”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of the patriarchs.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם (aḥareihem) – Root: אחר (ʾaḥar); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Refers to subsequent generations.
- בָּכֶ֛ם (bakhem) – Root: ב (ba); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the people of Israel.
- מִכָּל־ (mi-kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “above all”; Notes: Indicates distinction among nations.
- הָעַמִּ֖ים (ha-ʿamim) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “peoples”; Notes: Refers to the nations of the world.
- כַּיֹּ֥ום (ka-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with prefix; Translation: “as it is this day”; Notes: Emphasizes the current reality.
- הַזֶּֽה׃ (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Points to the present moment.