בְּשִׁבְעִ֣ים נֶ֔פֶשׁ יָרְד֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וְעַתָּ֗ה שָֽׂמְךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ כְּכֹוכְבֵ֥י הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם לָרֹֽב׃
With seventy persons your fathers went down to Mitsrayim, and now YHWH your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the heavens.
Morphology
- בְּשִׁבְעִ֣ים (be-shivʿim) – Root: שבע (shivʿah); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition; Translation: “With seventy”; Notes: Refers to the number of persons who went to Egypt.
- נֶ֔פֶשׁ (nefesh) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “persons”; Notes: Indicates the people or souls.
- יָרְד֥וּ (yardu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they went down”; Notes: Refers to the descent of the patriarchs to Egypt.
- אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ (avotekha) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs of Israel.
- מִצְרָ֑יְמָה (Mitsraymah) – Root: מצר (mitsar); Form: Proper noun with directional suffix; Translation: “to Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וְעַתָּ֗ה (ve-atah) – Root: עתה (ʿatah); Form: Conjunction with adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Marks a shift in time or context.
- שָֽׂמְךָ֙ (samkha) – Root: שם (sum); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “has made you”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s blessing and multiplication of Israel.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the God of Israel.
- כְּכֹוכְבֵ֥י (ke-kokhvei) – Root: כוכב (kokhav); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with preposition; Translation: “as the stars of”; Notes: Refers to the stars in the sky as a metaphor for abundance.
- הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שמים (shamayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Refers to the sky or celestial realm.
- לָרֹֽב׃ (la-rov) – Root: רב (rov); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “in abundance”; Notes: Refers to the great multitude of Israel.