אֶרְאֶ֨נּוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א עַתָּ֔ה אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ וְלֹ֣א קָרֹ֑וב דָּרַ֨ךְ כֹּוכָ֜ב מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֗ב וְקָ֥ם שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּמָחַץ֙ פַּאֲתֵ֣י מֹואָ֔ב וְקַרְקַ֖ר כָּל־בְּנֵי־שֵֽׁת׃
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Yaʿaqov, a scepter will rise from Yisraʾel. It will crush the foreheads of Moʾav and destroy all the sons of Shet.
Morphology
- אֶרְאֶ֨נּוּ֙ (ʾerʾennu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I see him”; Notes: Describes future prophetic vision.
- עַתָּ֔ה (ʿatah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Indicates present time, negated in context.
- אֲשׁוּרֶ֖נּוּ (ʾashurennu) – Root: שור (shur); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I behold him”; Notes: Refers to a distant vision.
- קָרֹ֑וב (qarov) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Near”; Notes: Contrasts with the distant vision.
- דָּרַ֨ךְ (darakh) – Root: דרך (darakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Has stepped forth”; Notes: Symbolic of emergence or power.
- כֹּוכָ֜ב (kokhav) – Root: ככב (kokhav); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Star”; Notes: Symbol of a leader or king.
- שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ (shevet) – Root: שבט (shevet); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Scepter”; Notes: Represents ruling authority.
- פַּאֲתֵ֣י (paʾatei) – Root: פאה (paʾah); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “Foreheads”; Notes: Refers to extremities or borders.
- מֹואָ֔ב (Moʾav) – Root: מואב (Moʾav); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: A nation often opposed to Yisraʾel.
- קַרְקַ֖ר (qarqar) – Root: קרקר (qarqar); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Will destroy”; Notes: Indicates utter defeat.
- שֵֽׁת׃ (Shet) – Root: שת (Shet); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shet”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of Shet.