בִּבְכִ֣י יָבֹ֗אוּ וּֽבְתַחֲנוּנִים֮ אֹֽובִילֵם֒ אֹֽולִיכֵם֙ אֶל־נַ֣חֲלֵי מַ֔יִם בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יָשָׁ֔ר לֹ֥א יִכָּשְׁל֖וּ בָּ֑הּ כִּֽי־הָיִ֤יתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְאָ֔ב וְאֶפְרַ֖יִם בְּכֹ֥רִי הֽוּא׃ ס
With weeping they shall come, and with supplications I will lead them; I will cause them to walk to streams of water, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble, for I have been to Yisraʾel for a father, and Efrayim is My firstborn.
Morphology
- בִּבְכִי (bi-vekhi) – Root: בכה; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with weeping”; Notes: Expresses the emotional state in which the return takes place.
- יָבֹאוּ (yavoʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall come”; Notes: Indicates the future act of arrival.
- וּבְתַחֲנוּנִים (u-ve-taḥanunim) – Root: חנן; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and with supplications”; Notes: Implies earnest, humble petitions.
- אֹובִילֵם (ʾovilem) – Root: נהל; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I will lead them”; Notes: Causative form expressing divine guidance.
- אֹולִיכֵם (ʾolîkhem) – Root: הלך; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I will cause them to walk”; Notes: Emphasizes directed movement along a chosen path.
- אֶל־נַחֲלֵי (el-naḥălei) – Root: נחל; Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “to streams of”; Notes: Indicates destination toward abundant water sources.
- מַיִם (mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “water”; Notes: Life-sustaining resource symbolizing blessing.
- בְּדֶרֶךְ (be-derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in a way”; Notes: Refers to the chosen path for the journey.
- יָשָׁר (yāshar) – Root: ישׁר; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “straight”; Notes: Conveys moral and physical directness, free of danger.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb that follows.
- יִכָּשְׁלוּ (yikashlu) – Root: כשׁל; Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall stumble”; Notes: Passive-reflexive form indicating suffering harm.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: הוא; Form: Preposition בְּ + third person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the straight way mentioned before.
- כִּי־הָיִיתִי (ki-hayiti) – Root: היה; Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “for I have been”; Notes: Gives the reason for divine protection.
- לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (le-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to Yisraʾel”; Notes: Object of divine relationship.
- לְאָב (le-av) – Root: אב; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a father”; Notes: Covenant metaphor for God’s care and authority.
- וְאֶפְרַיִם (ve-Ephrayim) – Root: אפרים; Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and Ephrayim”; Notes: Leading tribe of the northern kingdom.
- בְּכֹרִי (bekhori) – Root: בכר; Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My firstborn”; Notes: Signifies special status and inheritance rights.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “he is”; Notes: Affirmation of identity.