Isaiah 65:1

נִדְרַ֨שְׁתִּי֙ לְלֹ֣וא שָׁאָ֔לוּ נִמְצֵ֖אתִי לְלֹ֣א בִקְשֻׁ֑נִי אָמַ֨רְתִּי֙ הִנֵּ֣נִי הִנֵּ֔נִי אֶל־גֹּ֖וי לֹֽא־קֹרָ֥א בִשְׁמִֽי׃

I was sought by those who did not ask, I was found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.

Morphology

1. נִדְרַ֨שְׁתִּי (nidrashti) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I was sought”; Notes: Passive-reflexive; the speaker (YHWH) was sought out, though unexpectedly or undeservedly.
2. לְלֹ֣וא (le-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Preposition לְ + negative particle; Translation: “by not”; Notes: Indicates the absence of an expected action (e.g., seeking or asking).
3. שָׁאָ֔לוּ (shaʾalu) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they asked”; Notes: Describes an action that did not happen — they did not ask.
4. נִמְצֵ֖אתִי (nimtseti) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I was found”; Notes: Another passive verb, parallel to “I was sought.”
5. לְלֹ֣א (le-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Preposition לְ + negative particle; Translation: “by not”; Notes: Repetition strengthens the parallelism in the verse.
6. בִקְשֻׁ֑נִי (biqshuni) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they sought me”; Notes: Intensive form (Piel) emphasizing deliberate search; but in this context, they did not seek.
7. אָמַ֨רְתִּי (amarti) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I said”; Notes: Marks a shift from passive to active divine initiative.
8. הִנֵּ֣נִי (hineni) – Root: הן (hen); Form: Interjection + 1st person singular pronominal suffix; Translation: “Here I am”; Notes: Emphatic form showing divine availability or readiness.
9. הִנֵּ֔נִי (hineni) – Root: הן (hen); Form: Interjection + 1st person singular pronominal suffix; Translation: “Here I am”; Notes: Repetition indicates urgency, persistence, or emphasis.
10. אֶל־גֹּ֖וי (el-goy) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to a nation”; Notes: Refers to a collective people group, often Gentiles.
11. לֹֽא־קֹרָ֥א (lo-qora) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “not called”; Notes: Describes their lack of association with the divine name.
12. בִשְׁמִֽי (bishmi) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “by my name”; Notes: Emphasizes the lack of covenantal relationship or identity with YHWH.