הִנֵּ֣ה בָטַ֡חְתָּ עַל־מִשְׁעֶנֶת֩ הַקָּנֶ֨ה הָרָצ֤וּץ הַזֶּה֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִסָּמֵ֥ךְ אִישׁ֙ עָלָ֔יו וּבָ֥א בְכַפֹּ֖ו וּנְקָבָ֑הּ כֵּ֚ן פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְכָֽל־הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים עָלָֽיו׃
Behold, you have trusted in the staff of this broken reed, on Mitsrayim, on which if a man leans, it will go into his palm and pierce it. So is Parʿo king of Mitsrayim to all who trust in him.
Morphology
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: נה; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to call attention emphatically.
- בָטַחְתָּ (bataḥta) – Root: בטח; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have trusted”; Notes: Describes past reliance or confidence.
- עַל־מִשְׁעֶנֶת (ʿal-mishʿenet) – Root: שׁען; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “upon the staff”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to a source of support.
- הַקָּנֶה (ha-qaneh) – Root: קנה; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the reed”; Notes: Often symbolizes something fragile or unreliable.
- הָרָצוּץ (ha-ratsuts) – Root: רצץ; Form: Passive participle masculine singular with article; Translation: “that is broken”; Notes: Emphasizes its unreliability as support.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative masculine singular with article; Translation: “this”; Notes: Points specifically to the fragile support—Mitsrayim.
- עַל־מִצְרַיִם (ʿal-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצר; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “on Mitsrayim”; Notes: Mitsrayim is the Hebrew name for Egypt.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Form: Independent; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the clause about the effect of relying on Mitsrayim.
- יִסָּמֵךְ (yissamekh) – Root: סמך; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “leans”; Notes: Passive-reflexive verb indicating an act of relying.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אנש; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: General subject of the conditional clause.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “upon it”; Notes: Refers to the reed—symbolically Mitsrayim.
- וּבָא (u-va) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and it will go”; Notes: Describes the reed’s reaction to being leaned upon.
- בְכַפּוֹ (ve-kappo) – Root: כף; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “into his palm”; Notes: Indicates injury to the one trusting.
- וּנְקָבָהּ (u-neqavah) – Root: נקב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular + 3rd feminine object suffix; Translation: “and it pierced it”; Notes: Refers to the sharp reed piercing the man’s hand.
- כֵּן (ken) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Introduces the comparison to Parʿo.
- פַּרְעֹה (Parʿo) – Root: פרע; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Title for the king of Mitsrayim.
- מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם (melekh-Mitsrayim) – Root: מלך; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Genitive construction identifying Parʿo’s title.
- לְכָל־הַבֹּטְחִים (le-kol ha-botḥim) – Root: בטח; Form: Preposition + noun plural participle with article; Translation: “to all who trust”; Notes: Refers to those who rely on Parʿo’s help.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in him”; Notes: Refers to Parʿo as the object of trust.