דְּרָשׁ־נָ֤א בַעֲדֵ֨נוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֛י נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל נִלְחָ֣ם עָלֵ֑ינוּ אוּלַי֩ יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה יְהוָ֤ה אֹותָ֨נוּ֙ כְּכָל־נִפְלְאֹתָ֔יו וְיַעֲלֶ֖ה מֵעָלֵֽינוּ׃ ס
“Inquire now for us of YHWH, for Nevukhadretstsar king of Bavel is fighting against us; perhaps YHWH will act for us according to all His wondrous deeds, and he will go up from upon us.”
Morphology
- דְּרָשׁ־נָ֤א (derāsh-nā) – Root: דרשׁ; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + enclitic particle; Translation: “Inquire now”; Notes: Requesting prophetic intercession.
- בַעֲדֵ֨נוּ (baʿădenu) – Root: בעד; Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Intercessory plea on behalf of the people.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה (et-YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The object of the request.
- כִּ֛י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a causal clause.
- נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר (Nevukhadretstsar) – Root: Proper name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Nevukhadretstsar”; Notes: Babylonian king’s Hebrew name.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל (melekh-Bāvel) – Root: מלך, בבל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Title and domain.
- נִלְחָ֣ם (nilḥam) – Root: לחם; Form: Nifal participle masculine singular; Translation: “is fighting”; Notes: Ongoing hostile action; reflexive/passive nuance of Nifal.
- עָלֵ֑ינוּ (ʿalēnu) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “against us”; Notes: Target of the enemy’s aggression.
- אוּלַי֩ (ʾulay) – Root: Particle; Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a hope or uncertainty.
- יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה (yaʿăseh) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will do”; Notes: Future action by YHWH.
- יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis on divine intervention.
- אֹותָ֨נוּ (ʾotānu) – Root: אות; Form: Direct object with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Possibly a rare plural object usage or scribal variant.
- כְּכָל־נִפְלְאֹתָ֔יו (kekhol-niflʾotāv) – Root: פלא; Form: Preposition + construct noun + plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “according to all His wondrous deeds”; Notes: Refers to divine miracles.
- וְיַעֲלֶ֖ה (ve-yaʿăleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he will go up”; Notes: Refers to the enemy’s retreat.
- מֵעָלֵֽינוּ (meʿālēnu) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + prefix + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “from upon us”; Notes: Hope for deliverance from siege or attack.