וְנֹ֣פֶת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְנֹ֣פֶת

   ve-NO-fet

   and drippings
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃

   ve-NO-fet tsu-FIM

   and drippings of the honeycomb
3. clause🔊 וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִדְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃

   u-me-tu-KIM mid-de-VASH ve-NO-fet tsu-FIM

   and sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb
4. sentence🔊 הַֽנֶּחֱמָדִ֥ים מִ֥זָּהָב וּמִפַּ֥ז רָ֑ב וּמְתוּקִ֥ים מִדְּבַ֗שׁ וְנֹ֣פֶת צוּפִֽים׃

   ha-NE-khe-ma-DIM miz-za-HAV u-mip-PAZ RAV u-me-tu-KIM mid-de-VASH ve-NO-fet tsu-FIM

   the ones more to be desired than gold and than much fine gold abundant and sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb

Exegesis

The coordinating vav introduces a parallel clause where umetukim {וּמְתוּקִים | mə-tû-qîm} ‘sweeter’ pairs with midvash {מִדְּבַשׁ | mid-də-ḇāš} ‘honey’ and the construct venofet tzufim {וְנֹפֶת צוּפִים | wə-nō-p̄eṯ tzu-fîm} ‘dripping of combs’. This parallel and chiastic structure underscores the supreme worth of the Law. English renders more…than and sweeter…than to mirror Hebrew comparison, and preserves dripping of combs to retain the vivid metaphor.