וּפְדוּיֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה יְשֻׁב֗וּן וּבָ֤אוּ צִיֹּון֙ בְּרִנָּ֔ה וְשִׂמְחַ֥ת עֹולָ֖ם עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑ם שָׂשֹׂ֤ון וְשִׂמְחָה֙ יַשִּׂ֔יגוּ וְנָ֖סוּ יָגֹ֥ון וַאֲנָחָֽה
(Isaiah 35:10)
This powerful and poetic verse from Isaiah is filled with emotion, movement, and transformation. We’ll use it to explore basic Hebrew grammar, focusing on verbs, nouns, and how Hebrew expresses joy and deliverance using rhythm and repetition.
English Translation (Simple and Clear)
And the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and they shall come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. Gladness and joy shall overtake them, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Word Order: A Flow of Return and Rejoicing
This verse mostly follows the typical Hebrew narrative order: Verb–Subject–Object. However, poetry often begins with the subject for emphasis—like וּפְדוּיֵי יְהוָה (“the redeemed of the LORD”). Verbs like יְשֻׁב֗וּן (“shall return”) and וּבָ֤אוּ (“shall come”) keep the verse flowing with action.
Word-by-Word Breakdown
| Hebrew Word | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| וּפְדוּיֵי | and the redeemed of | From פָדָה (to redeem). This is a noun with a plural construct form, “the redeemed (ones) of.” The וּ is “and.” |
| יְהוָה | LORD | The divine name. Combined with the word before it: “the redeemed of the LORD.” |
| יְשֻׁב֗וּן | shall return | Verb in imperfect tense, 3rd person plural masculine. Root: שׁוּב (to return). The י prefix and וּן suffix mark future plural action. |
| וּבָ֤אוּ | and they shall come | Verb in imperfect tense, 3rd person plural. Root: בּוֹא (to come). Conjoined with וּ (“and”). |
| צִיֹּון | Zion | Proper noun. The destination of the redeemed. |
| בְּרִנָּה | with singing | רִנָּה means “joyful song.” בְּ = “with” or “in.” |
| וְשִׂמְחַת עֹולָם | and everlasting joy | שִׂמְחָה = joy; עֹולָם = forever/eternity. A construct phrase meaning “joy of eternity.” |
| עַל־רֹאשָׁם | upon their heads | עַל = “upon”; רֹאשָׁם = “their head(s)” (רֹאשׁ + -ם = their). |
| שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה | gladness and joy | Two near-synonyms to strengthen the image of rejoicing. Common in Hebrew poetry. |
| יַשִּׂיגוּ | shall overtake / reach | Imperfect verb (future tense), 3rd person plural. Root: נָשַׂג (to reach/overtake). Means “they will be grasped by gladness and joy.” |
| וְנָסוּ | and they shall flee | Verb from נָס (to flee). Imperfect form, 3rd person plural. |
| יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה | sorrow and sighing | Two nouns that express pain and sadness. They are the ones who “flee” in the end. |
Parallel Joy: How Hebrew Repeats for Emphasis
Notice how joy appears multiple times:
- בְּרִנָּה – with singing
- שִׂמְחַת עֹולָם – everlasting joy
- שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה – gladness and joy
This is a poetic technique called parallelism, where Hebrew stacks similar words for power and rhythm.
Visual Chart: Movement and Emotion
| Action | Who/What | Emotion/Result |
|---|---|---|
| יְשֻׁבוּן (shall return) | פְדוּיֵי יְהוָה | Return to Zion |
| יַשִּׂיגוּ (shall overtake) | שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה | Gladness overtakes them |
| וְנָסוּ (shall flee) | יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה | Sorrow runs away |
What We Learned from This Sentence
- You explored future verbs (like יְשֻׁבוּן and יַשִּׂיגוּ) and how they show hope and movement.
- You saw how Hebrew uses parallelism and repeated joy words to express powerful emotion.
- You now know how words like עַל־רֹאשָׁם (“on their heads”) fit grammatically and symbolically.
This verse is more than just a return—it’s a transformation. And now, you’re not just reading it in translation—you’re understanding it in the sacred language itself.
