בַּקְּשׁ֤וּ אֶת־יְהוָה֙ כָּל־עַנְוֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְׁפָּטֹ֖ו פָּעָ֑לוּ בַּקְּשׁוּ־צֶ֨דֶק֙ בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ עֲנָוָ֔ה אוּלַי֙ תִּסָּ֣תְר֔וּ בְּיֹ֖ום אַף־יְהוָֽה׃
Seek YHWH, all the humble of the earth who have done His judgment, seek righteousness, seek humility, perhaps you will be hidden in the day of the anger of YHWH.
Morphology
- בַּקְּשׁוּ (baqshu) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Seek”; Notes: First direct command addressed to the community to pursue YHWH actively.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker with maqqef; Translation: —; Notes: Marks YHWH as the direct object of the verb “Seek.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, the one who is to be sought.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with maqqef; Translation: “all”; Notes: Introduces the entirety of those who are being summoned.
- עַנְוֵי (ʿanvei) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “humble ones of”; Notes: Describes the addressed group by their lowly and submissive character.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth” / “the land”; Notes: Locates the humble as those dwelling in the land under YHWH’s rule.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause further qualifying the humble of the land.
- מִשְׁפָּטֹו (mishpato) – Root: שׁפט (shafat); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “His judgment”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s standard of justice which they have observed.
- פָּעָלוּ (paʿalu) – Root: פעל (paʿal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they have done”; Notes: Describes the humble as those whose actions have aligned with YHWH’s judgment.
- בַּקְּשׁוּ־ (baqshu) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural with maqqef; Translation: “Seek”; Notes: Repeated imperative that heightens the urgency of the appeal.
- צֶדֶק (tsedeq) – Root: צדק (tsadaq); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “righteousness”; Notes: Names the moral quality that the community is commanded to pursue.
- בַּקְּשׁוּ (baqshu) – Root: בקשׁ (baqash); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Seek”; Notes: Third occurrence of the imperative, forming a rhetorical triad of seeking.
- עֲנָוָה (ʿanavah) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “humility”; Notes: Specifies the inner disposition that should accompany the pursuit of YHWH and righteousness.
- אוּלַי (ulay) – Root: אולי (ʾulay); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a hopeful but uncertain outcome dependent on their response.
- תִּסָּתְרוּ (tissateru) – Root: סתר (satar); Form: Nifal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you will be hidden”; Notes: Passive-reflexive form promising possible concealment or protection.
- בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Temporal phrase marking the time when YHWH’s anger is expressed.
- אַף־יְהוָה (af-YHWH) – Root: אף (af); Form: Noun masculine singular in construct + divine name with maqqef; Translation: “the anger of YHWH”; Notes: Conventional idiom for YHWH’s wrath directing the warning to a specific day of divine judgment.