וְאַתָּ֞ה בֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם אֶפְרָ֗תָה צָעִיר֙ לִֽהְיֹות֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מִמְּךָ֙ לִ֣י יֵצֵ֔א לִֽהְיֹ֥ות מֹושֵׁ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּמֹוצָאֹתָ֥יו מִקֶּ֖דֶם מִימֵ֥י עֹולָֽם׃
But you Beit-leḥem Efrata little to be among the clans of Yehuda from you for Me shall come forth one to be ruler in Yisraʾel and his goings-out are from of old from days of eternity.
Morphology
- וְאַתָּה (ve-atta) — Root: אתה (attah); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “but you”; Notes: Direct address to a place personified.
- בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beit-Leḥem) — Root: בית (bayit) + לחם (leḥem); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Beit-Leḥem”; Notes: Place-name meaning “house of bread.”
- אֶפְרָתָה (Efratah) — Root: אפרת (Efrat); Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Efratah”; Notes: Ancient district around Beit-Leḥem.
- צָעִיר (tsaʿir) — Root: צער (tsaʿar); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “small / insignificant”; Notes: Indicates social insignificance among Judah’s clans.
- לִהְיוֹת (lih’yot) — Root: היה (hayah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Describes status among Judah’s clans.
- בְּאַלְפֵי (be-alfei) — Root: אלף (elef); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “among the clans of”; Notes: Elef refers to family-groups or clan units.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) — Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Tribe from which the ruler comes.
- מִמְּךָ (mimmekha) — Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 2ms; Translation: “from you”; Notes: Emphasizes origin in Beit-Leḥem.
- לִי (li) — Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1cs; Translation: “for Me”; Notes: YHWH speaking: divine purpose in the ruler’s emergence.
- יֵצֵא (yetzeʾ) — Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall come forth”; Notes: Describes the ruler’s origin.
- לִהְיוֹת (lih’yot) — Root: היה (hayah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Purpose of the coming forth.
- מֹושֵׁל (moshel) — Root: משׁל (mashal); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “ruler”; Notes: Designates authoritative governance.
- בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל (be-Yisraʾel) — Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Yisraʾel”; Notes: Sphere of rulership.
- וּמֹוצָאֹתָיו (u-motzaʾotav) — Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and his goings-out”; Notes: Can refer to origins, lineage, or activity patterns.
- מִקֶּדֶם (mi-qqedem) — Root: קדם (qedem); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from of old”; Notes: Indicates ancient origin.
- מִימֵי (mi-yemei) — Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “from days of”; Notes: Construct expression introducing “eternity.”
- עוֹלָם (ʿolam) — Root: עלם (ʿalam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “eternity”; Notes: Means remote antiquity or timelessness.