אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹוצִיאֵ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ עֲדַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶֽה׃
who will go out before them and who will come in before them, who will lead them out and who will bring them in, so that the congregation of YHWH will not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
Morphology
- אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א (ʾasher-yētze) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Who will go out”; Notes: Refers to leadership actions.
- לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם (lifneyhem) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Before them”; Notes: Indicates leading presence.
- וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ (vaʾasher-yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Conjunction וַ + relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And who will come in”; Notes: Continues the leadership description.
- לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם (lifneyhem) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Before them”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יֹוצִיאֵ֖ם (vaʾasher-yotziʾem) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Conjunction וַ + relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר + Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “And who will lead them out”; Notes: Describes leading out to action.
- וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם (vaʾasher-yevīʾem) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Conjunction וַ + relative pronoun אֲשֶׁר + Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “And who will bring them in”; Notes: Leadership to secure entry.
- וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ (velō-tiʹhyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא + Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “So that it will not be”; Notes: Expresses a desired outcome.
- עֲדַ֣ת (ʿadat) – Root: עדה (ʿedah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “The congregation of”; Notes: Refers to the assembly of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- כַּצֹּ֕אן (katzon) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Particle כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “Like sheep”; Notes: Simile describing vulnerability.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces a descriptive clause.
- אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם (ʾeyn-lahem) – Root: אין (ʾeyn); Form: Negative particle + preposition ל + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Have no”; Notes: Expresses lack.
- רֹעֶֽה׃ (roʿeh) – Root: רעה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Shepherd”; Notes: Symbol of guidance and protection.