אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י

   et-naf-SHI

   {direct object} my life
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י

   va-ye-vak-SHU et-naf-SHI

   and they seek {direct object} my life
3. clause🔊 וָאִוָּתֵ֤ר אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃

   va-i-va-TER a-NI le-va-DI va-ye-vak-SHU et-naf-SHI to take it

   and I remained I alone and they seek {direct object} my life
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּאמֶר֩ קַנֹּ֨א קִנֵ֜אתִי לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י צְבָא֗וֹת כִּֽי־עָזְב֤וּ בְרִֽיתְךָ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתֶ֣יךָ הָרָ֔סוּ וְאֶת־נְבִיאֶ֖יךָ הָרְג֣וּ בֶחָ֑רֶב וָאִוָּתֵ֤ר אֲנִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ׃

   va-yo-MER ka-NO ki-NE-ti la-ye-ho-VAH e-lo-HE tse-va-OT KI-a-ze-VU ve-RIT-kha be-NE yis-ra-EL et-miz-be-kho-TE-kha ha-ra-SU ve-et-ne-vi-E-kha har-GU be-kha-REV va-i-va-TER a-NI le-va-DI va-ye-vak-SHU et-naf-SHI to take it

   and he said being jealous I have been jealous for the LORD God of hosts for they have forsaken your covenant sons of Israel {direct object} your altars they tore down and {direct object} your prophets they killed with the sword and I remained I alone and they seek {direct object} my life

Exegesis

Finally, wayyəḇqašū ’ēt-nafšî lə-qaḥtāh {וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לְקַחְתָּֽהּ | wayyəḇqašū ’ēt-nafšî lə-qaḥtāh} conveys an urgent threat to life. The English preserves the Hebrew’s parallel structure and causal progression.

Root and etymology

נ־פ־ש🔊 nun–pe–shin

“breath, life, soul”

• 🔊 נְשָׁמָהneshamahbreathGenesis 2:7