OET interlinear NEH 9:9

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

וַ⁠תֵּ֛רֶא אֶת־עֳנִ֥י אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ בְּ⁠מִצְרָ֑יִם וְ⁠אֶת־זַעֲקָתָ֥⁠ם שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ עַל־יַם־סֽוּף

and=she/it_saw DOM affliction_of ancestors_of,our in/on/at/with,Egypt and=DOM cry_of,their you(ms)_paid_attention on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in sea_of red

Here the Levites are describing how, centuries later, God rescued their ancestors, Abraham’s descendants, from slavery in Egypt. In this verse they describe that entire experience generally by reference to its first episode and its final episode, to include everything in between. (In 9:10 and 9:11 they will add further specific details.) If it would be helpful in your language, you could describe the entire experience in a single phrase here. (However, you could also explain these episodes separately. See the next two notes.) Alternate translation: “You rescued our fathers from slavery in Egypt by defeating Pharaoh”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וַ⁠תֵּ֛רֶא אֶת־עֳנִ֥י אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ בְּ⁠מִצְרָ֑יִם

and=she/it_saw DOM affliction_of ancestors_of,our in/on/at/with,Egypt

Affliction is an abstract noun that refers to the way the Israelites suffered when Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, forced them to serve him as slaves. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind it with a verb such as “suffer.” Alternate translation: “you saw how badly our ancestors were suffering as slaves in Egypt”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠תֵּ֛רֶא אֶת־עֳנִ֥י אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ בְּ⁠מִצְרָ֑יִם

and=she/it_saw DOM affliction_of ancestors_of,our in/on/at/with,Egypt

The implication is that God not only saw how the Israelites were suffering, but also was moved to action out of compassion for them. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “you saw how badly our ancestors were suffering as slaves in Egypt, and so you delivered them from slavery”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֲבֹתֵ֖י⁠נוּ

ancestors_of,our

Fathers here means “ancestors.” Alternate translation: “our ancestors”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠אֶת־זַעֲקָתָ֥⁠ם שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ עַל־יַם־סֽוּף

and=DOM cry_of,their you(ms)_paid_attention on/upon/above/on_account_of//he/it_went_in sea_of red

The Levites continue to rehearse the details of Israelite history without explaining their significance because they assume their listeners will already understand this. This is a reference to something that happened after God had freed their ancestors from slavery and they had left Egypt. Pharaoh regretted letting them go and pursued them with his army. Helplessly trapped against the shores of the Red Sea as Pharaoh’s army approached, the Israelites cried out to God for rescue. Alternate translation: “you answered their prayer when they cried to you for help from the shores of the Red Sea”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

וְ⁠אֶת־זַעֲקָתָ֥⁠ם שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ

and=DOM cry_of,their you(ms)_paid_attention

Heard is an idiom that means that God both heard and answered the Israelites’ prayer in the way described in 9:11. Alternate translation: “you answered their prayer”

Note 7 topic: translate-names

יַם־סֽוּף

sea_of red

This is the name of a body of water near Egypt. Alternate translation: “the Red Sea”