כִּֽי־תַעֲבֹ֤ר בַּמַּ֨יִם֙ אִתְּךָ־אָ֔נִי וּבַנְּהָרֹ֖ות לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּךָ כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֤ךְ בְּמֹו־אֵשׁ֙ לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶ֔ה וְלֶהָבָ֖ה לֹ֥א תִבְעַר־בָּֽךְ׃
When you pass through the waters, I am with you; and through the rivers, they shall not sweep over you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Morphology
- כִּֽי־תַעֲבֹ֤ר (ki-taʿavor) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “When you pass”; Notes: Conditional phrase introducing divine protection.
- בַּמַּ֨יִם (ba-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “through the waters”; Notes: Symbol of overwhelming trials or danger.
- אִתְּךָ־אָ֔נִי (ittkha-ʾani) – Root: את; Form: Preposition עִם + 2nd person masculine singular suffix + pronoun; Translation: “I am with you”; Notes: Emphatic divine presence and support.
- וּבַנְּהָרֹ֖ות (u-va-neharot) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Conjunction + preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “and through the rivers”; Notes: Continues the parallel imagery of danger.
- לֹ֣א יִשְׁטְפ֑וּךָ (lo-yishtfukha) – Root: שטף (shataph); Form: Negative particle לֹא + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “they shall not sweep over you”; Notes: Assurance of protection from flood-like forces.
- כִּֽי־תֵלֵ֤ךְ (ki-telekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “When you walk”; Notes: Continues the pattern of conditional reassurance.
- בְּמֹו־אֵשׁ (be-mo-ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Preposition בְּ + poetic form of “through” + noun feminine singular; Translation: “through fire”; Notes: Represents extreme danger or trial.
- לֹ֣א תִכָּוֶ֔ה (lo-tikkaveh) – Root: כוה (kavah); Form: Negative particle לֹא + Nifal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall not be burned”; Notes: Passive form expressing divine protection from harm.
- וְלֶהָבָ֖ה (ve-lehavah) – Root: להב (lahav); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the flame”; Notes: Enhances the fire imagery with a poetic synonym.
- לֹ֥א תִבְעַר־בָּֽךְ (lo-tivʿar-bakh) – Root: בער (baʿar); Form: Negative particle לֹא + Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular + preposition בְּ + second person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “shall not consume you”; Notes: Expresses the divine guarantee of deliverance even in fiery ordeal.