מֵעֵ֖בֶר לְנַֽהֲרֵי־כ֑וּשׁ עֲתָרַי֙ בַּת־פּוּצַ֔י יֹובִל֖וּן מִנְחָתִֽי׃
From beyond the rivers of Kush My suppliants, the daughter of Putsai, shall bring My offering.
Morphology
- מֵעֵבֶר (meʿeiver) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from beyond”; Notes: Indicates direction from a distant region.
- לְנַהֲרֵי (le-naharei) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “to the rivers of”; Notes: Refers to geographically distant waterways.
- כּוּשׁ (Kush) – Root: כושׁ (Kush); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Kush”; Notes: Region south of Mitsrayim, often associated with Nubia/Ethiopia.
- עֲתָרַי (ʿatarai) – Root: עתר (ʿatar); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1cs; Translation: “My suppliants”; Notes: Those who pray or entreat YHWH.
- בַּת (bat) – Root: בת (bat); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “daughter”; Notes: Often designates a subgroup or dependent people.
- פּוּצַי (Putsai) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Proper noun + suffix 1cs (gentilic form); Translation: “Putai”; Notes: Likely a distant diaspora group associated with Put. Although this form may be read as a gentilic proper name (“Putai”), many English translations render it as “My dispersed” because the pointing allows a collective reading from the verb פוץ (“to scatter”). Ancient versions such as the Septuagint, Peshitta, and Targum understand it semantically rather than as a proper name, which is why numerous translators choose “My dispersed” instead of a transliteration of the name.
- יֹובִלוּן (yovilun) – Root: יבל (yaval); Form: Hifil imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall bring”; Notes: Causative form—causing something to be carried or brought forth.
- מִנְחָתִי (minḥati) – Root: נחה (naḥah) or מנח (manah) with standard lexeme מנחה (minḥah); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 1cs; Translation: “My offering”; Notes: A tribute or gift brought to YHWH.