Exodus 19:4–6
At Sinai, God recalls how he carried them "on eagles' wings"
Study it word by word4‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
5And now, if you will listen carefully to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special treasure out of all the peoples; for all the earth is mine;
6and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
In its context
2They had set out from Rephidim, and came to the wilderness of Sinai, and they camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain.
3And Moses went up to Elohim, and YHWH called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the sons of Israel:
…
7So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that YHWH had commanded him.
8All the people answered together and said, “All that YHWH has spoken we will do.” And Moses brought back the words of the people to YHWH.
Its words in the original
- רְאִיתֶםreitem· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- עָשִׂיתִיasiti· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- מִצְרָיִםmitsrayim· Egypt, Mizraim
Mizraim, the Hebrew name of Egypt; also the Egyptians. As a person, a son of Ham, ancestor of the Egyptians.
- אֶשָּׂאesa· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- כַּנְפֵיkanfe· wing
Wing of a bird. Also the edge or corner of something (of a cloak, of the earth).
- נְשָׁרִיםnesharim· eagle, vulture
Eagle; it may also refer to another large bird of prey, such as the vulture.
- אָבִאavi· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- שָׁמוֹעַshamoa· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- קֹלִkoli· voice, sound
Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).
- שְׁמַרְתֶּםshemartem· keep, guard
Keep: watch over, guard, protect; also keep a command or a covenant, observe.
- בְּרִיתִberiti· covenant
Covenant: a solemn commitment between two parties, with promises and obligations. When God makes it, he is the one who offers it and guarantees it.
- הְיִיתֶםheyitem· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- סְגֻלָּהsegula· special treasure
Special treasure: what someone keeps apart as his most valued possession.
- עַמִּיםamim· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- מַמְלֶכֶתmamlechet· kingdom
Kingdom: the territory and the power of a king; reign.
- כֹּהֲנִיםkohanim· priest
Priest: one who serves God on behalf of the people and presents the offerings.
- גוֹיgoy· nation
Nation, a people with its land. In the plural, "the nations": all the peoples of the world, and especially those who are not Israel.
- קָדוֹשׁkadosh· holy, Holy One
Holy: set apart for God, different from what is common. As a noun, "the Holy One" (God) or holy ones.
- דְּבָרִיםdevarim· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- תְּדַבֵּרtedaber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- בְּנֵיbene· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- יִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael· Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.