וְעַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה יֹצְרִ֤י מִבֶּ֨טֶן֙ לְעֶ֣בֶד לֹ֔ו לְשֹׁובֵ֤ב יַֽעֲקֹב֙ אֵלָ֔יו וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא יֵאָסֵ֑ף וְאֶכָּבֵד֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וֵאלֹהַ֖י הָיָ֥ה עֻזִּֽי׃
And now says YHWH, He who formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Yaʿaqov back to Him, and Yisraʾel will not be gathered; yet I shall be honored in the eyes of YHWH, and my God has been my strength.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֣ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a new prophetic utterance or divine action.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Marks the beginning of YHWH’s declaration.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name of Israel’s covenant God.
- יֹצְרִ֤י (yotsri) – Root: יצר; Form: Qal participle masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “who formed me”; Notes: Present participle functioning as a relative clause referring to God’s creative purpose.
- מִבֶּ֨טֶן (mi-beten) – Root: בטן; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the womb”; Notes: Emphasizes divine foreordination from birth.
- לְעֶ֣בֶד (le-ʿeved) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a servant”; Notes: Describes the intended role or identity.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: לְ + הוּא; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to Him”; Notes: Refers back to YHWH.
- לְשֹׁובֵ֤ב (le-shovev) – Root: שוב; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to bring back”; Notes: Causative form expressing the mission to restore Yaʿaqov.
- יַֽעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: עקב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Refers to the people of Israel via their eponymous ancestor.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to Him”; Notes: Indicates restoration to YHWH.
- וְיִשְׂרָאֵל (ve-Yisraʾel) – Root: שׂרה + אל; Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “and Yisraʾel”; Notes: Parallel to Yaʿaqov, representing the collective nation.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb following it.
- יֵאָסֵ֑ף (yeʾasef) – Root: אסף; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will be gathered”; Notes: Passive voice, indicating the nation not yet regathered.
- וְאֶכָּבֵד (ve-ʾekkaved) – Root: כבד; Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “yet I will be honored”; Notes: Expresses confidence in divine vindication.
- בְּעֵינֵי (be-ʿeinei) – Root: עין; Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “in the eyes of”; Notes: Idiom for estimation or perspective.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of divine favor.
- וֵאלֹהַי (ve-ʾElohai) – Root: אלה; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my God”; Notes: Personal relationship with God highlighted.
- הָיָה (hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has been”; Notes: Stative verb describing a continuing truth.
- עֻזִּי (ʿuzzi) – Root: עזז; Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my strength”; Notes: Concludes the verse with affirmation of divine empowerment.