תִּ֭תְּנֵנוּ כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל וּ֝בַגֹּויִ֗ם זֵרִיתָֽנוּ׃
You give us as sheep of food, and among the nations You have scattered us.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | תִּתְּנֵנוּ | titnenu | “You give us” | Qal imperfect 2ms + suff 1cp |
| 2 | כְּצֹאן | ke-tson | “as sheep” | Prep כְּ + N(fp collective) |
| 3 | מַאֲכָל | maʾakhal | “food” | N(ms) |
| 4 | וּבַגֹּויִם | u-va-goyim | “and among the nations” | Conj וְ + Prep בְ + Def. art. הַ + N(mp) |
| 5 | זֵרִיתָנוּ | zeritanu | “You have scattered us” | Qal perfect 2ms + suff 1cp |
Morphology
- תִּתְּנֵנוּ (titnenu) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Root Type: I-Nun; Binyan: Qal; Form: Imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “You give us”; Notes: Expresses ongoing or repeated action of handing over the people.
- כְּצֹאן (ke-tson) – Root: צאן (ṣ-ʾ-n); Root Type: II-Guttural (א); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine plural (collective); Translation: “as sheep”; Notes: A metaphor of vulnerability and helplessness.
- מַאֲכָל (maʾakhal) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Root Type: I-Guttural (א); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “food”; Notes: Indicates being destined for consumption, intensifying the imagery. The Hebrew כְּצֹ֣אן מַאֲכָ֑ל (ke-tson maʾakhal) is a construct state. While “sheep of food” is a literal rendering, it’s not a standard idiom in English. Most translators use “sheep for slaughter” or “sheep destined for meat.” This clarifies that the sheep aren’t just “food,” but are actively being given over to be killed.
- וּבַגֹּויִם (u-va-goyim) – Root: גוי (g-w-y); Root Type: Hollow; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְ + definite article הַ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and among the nations”; Notes: Indicates dispersion into foreign lands.
- זֵרִיתָנוּ (zeritanu) – Root: זרה (z-r-h); Root Type: III-He; Binyan: Qal; Form: Perfect 2nd person masculine singular + suffix 1st person common plural; Translation: “You have scattered us”; Notes: Conveys the idea of dispersal like scattering seed.