וָאֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמִ֑י לְבִלְתִּ֤י הֵחֵל֙ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַגֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹוצֵאתִ֖ים לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
But I acted for the sake of My name, so that it should not be profaned before the eyes of the nations, before whose eyes I had brought them out.
Morphology
- וָאֶעֱשֶׂה – Root: עָשָׂה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person singular; Translation: “But I acted”; Notes: Indicates God’s deliberate action despite Israel’s rebellion.
- לְמַעַן – Form: Preposition; Translation: “for the sake of”; Notes: Marks divine motivation.
- שְׁמִי – Root: שֵׁם; Form: Noun masculine singular + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my name”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s reputation and holiness among the nations.
- לְבִלְתִּי – Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct of בִּלְתִּי; Translation: “so that not”; Notes: Negates the following infinitive of purpose.
- הֵחֵל – Root: חָלַל; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to profane”; Notes: Refers to desecration of God’s name.
- לְעֵינֵי – Root: עַיִן; Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine dual construct; Translation: “before the eyes of”; Notes: Idiomatic for public witness.
- הַגֹּויִם – Root: גּוֹי; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Refers to surrounding peoples observing YHWH’s actions.
- אֲשֶׁר – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces relative clause referring to Israel.
- הֹוצֵאתִים – Root: יָצָא; Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I had brought them out”; Notes: Refers to God’s deliverance from Mitsrayim.
- לְעֵינֵיהֶם – Root: עַיִן; Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine dual + 3mp suffix; Translation: “before their eyes”; Notes: Emphasizes visible, undeniable divine action.