לְמַעַן֩ הָקִ֨ים אֶת־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתִּי לַאֲבֹֽותֵיכֶ֗ם לָתֵ֤ת לָהֶם֙ אֶ֣רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֛ב וּדְבַ֖שׁ כַּיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה וָאַ֥עַן וָאֹמַ֖ר אָמֵ֥ן יְהוָֽה׃ ס
In order to establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as this day.”’” And I answered and said, “Amen, YHWH.”
Morphology
- לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען; Form: Preposition; Translation: “In order to”; Notes: Introduces a purpose clause.
- הָקִים (haqim) – Root: קום; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to establish”; Notes: Describes the fulfillment or confirmation of the oath.
- אֶת־הַשְּׁבוּעָה (et-ha-shevuʿah) – Root: שׁבע; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the oath”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s solemn promise to the patriarchs.
- אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי (ʾasher-nishbaʿti) – Root: שׁבע; Form: Relative pronoun + Nifal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “which I swore”; Notes: Nifal conveys the passive/reflexive sense of swearing an oath.
- לַאֲבֹותֵיכֶם (laʾavotekhem) – Root: אב; Form: Preposition לְ + plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to your fathers”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs of Yisraʾel.
- לָתֵת (latet) – Root: נתן; Form: Infinitive construct with לְ prefix; Translation: “to give”; Notes: Purpose of the oath was the gift of the land.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: –; Form: Preposition לְ + third person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the patriarchs or their descendants.
- אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a land”; Notes: Direct object of “to give.”
- זָבַת (zavat) – Root: זבב; Form: Qal participle feminine singular construct; Translation: “flowing”; Notes: Construct with the following terms to describe the quality of the land.
- חָלָב (ḥalav) – Root: חלב; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “milk”; Notes: Symbol of abundance.
- וּדְבַשׁ (u-devash) – Root: דבשׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and honey”; Notes: Pairing with milk indicates fertility and blessing of the land.
- כַּיֹּום (ka-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as the day”; Notes: Indicates the current fulfillment or reality of the promise.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זהה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Modifies “day.”
- וָאַעַן (vaʾaʿan) – Root: ען; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person singular; Translation: “And I answered”; Notes: Response formula common in narrative or liturgy.
- וָאֹמַר (vaʾomar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person singular; Translation: “and I said”; Notes: Continues first-person action from the speaker.
- אָמֵן (ʾamen) – Root: אמן; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Amen”; Notes: Liturgical affirmation of truth and assent, “so be it.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Divine name expressing covenant relationship.