וּפַרְעֹ֖ה הִקְרִ֑יב וַיִּשְׂאוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֜ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִצְרַ֣יִם נֹסֵ֣עַ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃
And Parʿo drew near, and the children of Yisraʾel lifted up their eyes, and behold, Mitsrayim was marching after them, and they were very afraid, and the children of Yisraʾel cried out to YHWH.
Morphology
- וּפַרְעֹ֖ה (u-Parʿo) – Root: פרע; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “And Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to the ruler of Mitsrayim, Pharaoh, initiating the pursuit of Yisraʾel.
- הִקְרִ֑יב (hiqriv) – Root: קרב; Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “drew near”; Notes: Causative stem indicating that Parʿo approached with his forces — advancing toward Yisraʾel.
- וַיִּשְׂאוּ֩ (va-yisʾu) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they lifted up”; Notes: Describes the physical action of raising their eyes — a common Hebrew idiom for looking up with awareness or alarm.
- בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן; Form: Construct noun plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers collectively to the people of Yisraʾel, emphasizing kinship and identity.
- אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֜ם (ʾet-ʿeinehem) – Root: עין; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine plural + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their eyes”; Notes: The direct object of “they lifted up.”
- וְהִנֵּ֥ה (ve-hinneh) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Introduces a vivid visual scene — Yisraʾel’s sudden sight of Mitsrayim approaching.
- מִצְרַ֣יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptian army, metonymically representing the entire nation.
- נֹסֵ֣עַ (noseaʿ) – Root: נסע; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was marching”; Notes: Describes continuous action — the army advancing in pursuit.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם (ʾaḥareihem) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition אַחַר + suffix 3mp; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Indicates direction of pursuit — Mitsrayim closing in from behind.
- וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ (va-yireʾu) – Root: ירא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they feared”; Notes: Expresses intense fear; a natural response to the threat of recapture.
- מְאֹ֔ד (meʾod) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “greatly”; Notes: Intensifies the preceding verb — “they feared exceedingly.”
- וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ (va-yitsʿaqu) – Root: צעק; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they cried out”; Notes: Describes desperate prayer or supplication; a cry for divine help.
- בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן; Form: Construct noun plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis — the collective fear and outcry of the nation.
- אֶל־יְהוָֽה׃ (ʾel-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Preposition אֶל + divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Denotes direct address or prayer to YHWH as the only source of deliverance in crisis.