שֶׂאי עֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ וּרְאִי הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצָּפֹ֑ון אַיֵּ֗ה הָעֵ֨דֶר֙ נִתַּן־לָ֔ךְ צֹ֖אן תִּפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ׃
Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, the sheep of your glory?
Morphology
- שֶׂאי (seʾi) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Lift up”; Notes: Addressed to a feminine subject (likely Yerushalayim or Yehudah), commanding her to lift up her eyes.
- עֵינֵיכֶם (ʿeineikhem) – Root: עין; Form: Noun feminine dual construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your eyes”; Notes: Although the suffix is masculine plural, it is coordinated with the feminine singular imperative likely due to poetic personification shifts.
- וּרְאִי (u-reʾi) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular with conjunctive vav; Translation: “and see”; Notes: Parallel imperative to שֶׂאי, continuing the exhortation.
- הַבָּאִים (ha-baʾim) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal active participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “those who are coming”; Notes: Describes an approaching group.
- מִצָּפֹון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: Directional origin of those approaching; often implies enemy invasion.
- אַיֵּה (ʾayyeh) – Root: אי; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Where?”; Notes: Used rhetorically to highlight loss or absence.
- הָעֵדֶר (ha-ʿeder) – Root: עדר; Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the flock”; Notes: Refers to the nation or people symbolized as a flock of sheep.
- נִתַּן (nittan) – Root: נתן; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was given”; Notes: Passive voice indicating divine bestowal.
- לָךְ (lakh) – Root: לך; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: The addressee is feminine, likely symbolizing the daughter of Tsiyon.
- צֹאן (tsoʾn) – Root: צאן; Form: Noun feminine singular or collective; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Serves appositionally to “flock.”
- תִּפְאַרְתֵּךְ (tifʾartekh) – Root: תפאר; Form: Noun feminine singular with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your glory”; Notes: The sheep are metaphorically described as the glory or pride of the people.