Judges 12:3 in Hebrew
וָֽאֶרְאֶ֞ה כִּֽי־אֵינְךָ֣ מֹושִׁ֗יעַ וָאָשִׂ֨ימָה נַפְשִׁ֤י בְכַפִּי֙ וָֽאֶעְבְּרָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֹּ֔ון וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וְלָמָ֞ה עֲלִיתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֛י הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּ֖ה לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בִּֽי׃
Introduction to נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי
In Judges 12:3, the phrase נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי appears, which can be translated as “I put my life in my hand.” This is an idiomatic expression in Biblical Hebrew that conveys the idea of taking extreme personal risk or putting oneself in danger.
Understanding נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי in Context
– נַפְשִׁי (nafshī) – “my soul” or “my life.”
– בְכַפִּי (bəḵappī) – “in my hand.”
– The verb preceding this phrase, וָאָשִׂימָה (wāʾāśīmāh), means “and I placed” or “I put.”
Taken together, וָאָשִׂימָה נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי means “I risked my life” or “I took my life into my own hands.”
The Function of This Idiomatic Expression
1. Expressing Personal Risk
– The phrase describes someone who knowingly enters a dangerous situation.
– It indicates that the speaker, Jephthah, acted without external protection or security.
2. Emphasizing Self-Reliance
– By stating that he “placed his life in his own hand,” Jephthah emphasizes that he took independent action, without waiting for others to help him.
– This supports his argument that he fought against the Ammonites by his own initiative.
3. Hebrew Idioms Involving Hands
– Many Hebrew expressions use “hand” (כַּף, kap) to symbolize power, control, or vulnerability.
– In this case, placing “life” in one’s own hand suggests a precarious or uncertain fate, as though holding one’s own life loosely.
The Meaning of נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי in Judges 12:3
The phrase נַפְשִׁי בְכַפִּי in Judges 12:3 is a powerful idiom reflecting personal risk, courage, and self-reliance. Jephthah declares that he acted without external support, putting his own life in danger for the sake of victory.
This type of idiomatic expression demonstrates the richness of Biblical Hebrew in conveying deep emotional and experiential meaning through metaphorical language. Rather than a literal action, it captures the essence of bravery in the face of uncertainty.
