וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָקֵ֨ל מִֽהְיֹותְךָ֥ לִי֙ עֶ֔בֶד לְהָקִים֙ אֶת־שִׁבְטֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְצִירֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהָשִׁ֑יב וּנְתַתִּ֨יךָ֙ לְאֹ֣ור גֹּויִ֔ם לִֽהְיֹ֥ות יְשׁוּעָתִ֖י עַד־קְצֵ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ ס
And He said, “It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to raise up the tribes of Yaʿaqov and to bring back the preserved of Yisraʾel; I will also give you as a light to the nations, to be My salvation to the end of the earth.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Introduces YHWH’s statement.
- נָקֵל (naqel) – Root: קלל; Form: Niphal passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “too small” or “a light thing”; Notes: Describes something insignificant or insufficient in scope.
- מִֽהְיֹותְךָ (mi-heyotkha) – Root: היה; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from being you”; Notes: Expresses a limiting condition or contrast.
- לִי (li) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for Me”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the speaker.
- עֶבֶד (ʿeved) – Root: עבד; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a servant”; Notes: Denotes the servant’s role in fulfilling YHWH’s purpose.
- לְהָקִים (le-haqim) – Root: קום; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to raise up”; Notes: Causative verb indicating restoration or reestablishment.
- אֶת־שִׁבְטֵי (et-shivtei) – Root: שׁבט; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the tribes of”; Notes: Refers to the tribal divisions of the people of Yaʿaqov.
- יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: עקב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Symbolic of the people of Yisraʾel.
- וּנְצִירֵי (u-netsirei) – Root: נצר; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and the preserved of”; Notes: Refers to the faithful remnant of Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שׂרה + אל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Used here in parallel with Yaʿaqov, emphasizing national identity.
- לְהָשִׁיב (le-hashiv) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to bring back”; Notes: Causative verb indicating restoration of exiles or return to YHWH.
- וּנְתַתִּיךָ (u-netattikha) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix with conjunction; Translation: “and I will give you”; Notes: Expresses divine commissioning.
- לְאֹור (le-or) – Root: אור; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a light”; Notes: Symbol of guidance, revelation, and salvation.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to the non-Israelite peoples of the world.
- לִֽהְיֹות (lih-yot) – Root: היה; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Purpose clause continuing the commissioning.
- יְשׁוּעָתִי (yeshuʿati) – Root: ישע; Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My salvation”; Notes: Denotes deliverance originating from YHWH.
- עַד־קְצֵה (ʿad-qetseh) – Root: קצה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “to the end of”; Notes: Spatial expression marking extent.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Denotes the entire inhabited world.