לִֽהְיֹות֙ מַמְלָכָ֣ה שְׁפָלָ֔ה לְבִלְתִּ֖י הִתְנַשֵּׂ֑א לִשְׁמֹ֥ר אֶת־בְּרִיתֹ֖ו לְעָמְדָֽהּ׃
To be a lowly kingdom, so as not to lift itself up, to keep his covenant, that it might stand.
Morphology
- לִהְיֹות (lih-yot) – Root: היה; Form: Qal infinitive construct with prefixed לְ; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Introduces purpose, expressing intended condition of the kingdom.
- מַמְלָכָה (mamlakhah) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “kingdom”; Notes: Refers to Judah as a vassal kingdom under Babylon.
- שְׁפָלָה (shefalah) – Root: שׁפל; Form: Adjective feminine singular absolute; Translation: “lowly”; Notes: Describes Judah’s humbled and dependent state.
- לְבִלְתִּי (le-vilti) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + negative particle construct; Translation: “so as not to”; Notes: Introduces negated purpose clause.
- הִתְנַשֵּׂא (hitnasse) – Root: נשא; Form: Hitpael infinitive construct; Translation: “to lift itself up”; Notes: Reflexive nuance, Judah was not to exalt itself in pride or rebellion.
- לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Qal infinitive construct with prefixed לְ; Translation: “to keep”; Notes: Refers to observing or maintaining loyalty.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “(marks the object)”; Notes: Emphasizes the covenant as the direct object of keeping.
- בְּרִיתֹו (berito) – Root: ברית; Form: Noun feminine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his covenant”; Notes: Refers to the covenant made with the Babylonian king.
- לְעָמְדָהּ (le-ʿamdah) – Root: עמד; Form: Qal infinitive construct with prefixed לְ + third person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “that it might stand”; Notes: Expresses the ultimate purpose of covenant-keeping: the survival of the kingdom.