עָזְבָ֥ה יְתֹמֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֣י אֲחַיֶּ֑ה וְאַלְמְנֹתֶ֖יךָ עָלַ֥י תִּבְטָֽחוּ׃ ס
Leave your orphans, I will keep them alive; and your widows, let them trust in me. ”
Morphology
- עָזְבָה (ʿazvah) – Root: עזב; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “leave!”; Notes: Addressed to Edom personified as a woman, commanding her to leave her orphans in God’s care.
- יְתֹמֶיךָ (yetomekha) – Root: יתם; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your orphans”; Notes: The vulnerable children left without protection.
- אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: YHWH himself speaks.
- אֲחַיֶּה (aḥayyeh) – Root: חיה; Form: Piel imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will keep alive”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s active care and preservation.
- וְאַלְמְנֹתֶיךָ (ve-almnoteikha) – Root: אלמן; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural absolute + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your widows”; Notes: Another vulnerable group, parallel to orphans.
- עָלַי (ʿalay) – Root: —; Form: Preposition עַל + first person common singular suffix; Translation: “upon me”; Notes: Indicates reliance on YHWH.
- תִּבְטָחוּ (tivtaḥu) – Root: בטח; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural (used here for widows); Translation: “let them trust”; Notes: Expresses the proper response of the widows, trusting in divine provision.
- ס (samekh) – Root: —; Form: Masoretic parasha marker (setumah); Translation: —; Notes: Indicates a section break or pause in the text.