וַיִּקְרָ֛א יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּ֣שֶׁב אֶת־הַצֵּ֗ל בַּֽ֠מַּעֲלֹות אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרְדָ֜ה בְּמַעֲלֹ֥ות אָחָ֛ז אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֹֽות׃ פ
And Yeshayahu the prophet called to YHWH, and He brought back the shadow on the steps by which it had gone down on the steps of Aḥaz—backward ten steps.
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרָ֛א (va-yiqra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Refers to Yeshayahu calling upon YHWH in prayer.
- יְשַׁעְיָ֥הוּ (Yeshayahu) – Root: ישע (yeshaʿ) + יהו (yahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yeshayahu”; Notes: The prophet acting as intercessor.
- הַנָּבִ֖יא (ha-naviʾ) – Root: נבא (naviʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prophet”; Notes: Title confirming Yeshayahu’s office.
- אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה (el-YHWH) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Marks the recipient of the prophetic petition.
- וַיָּ֣שֶׁב (va-yashev) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and He brought back”; Notes: Describes divine intervention to reverse the shadow.
- אֶת־הַצֵּ֗ל (et-ha-tzel) – Root: צלל (tsalal); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the shadow”; Notes: Object of YHWH’s miraculous act.
- בַּֽמַּעֲלֹות (ba-maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition + plural noun feminine definite; Translation: “on the steps”; Notes: Refers to a stair-like structure, likely a sundial.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “by which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause about the movement of the shadow.
- יָרְדָ֜ה (yardah) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it had gone down”; Notes: Refers to the natural course of the shadow earlier.
- בְּמַעֲלֹ֥ות (be-maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition + plural noun feminine; Translation: “on the steps of”; Notes: Identifies the specific set of steps being referenced.
- אָחָ֛ז (Aḥaz) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “Aḥaz”; Notes: Refers to a former king of Yehudah; the steps were named after him.
- אֲחֹֽרַנִּ֖ית (aḥorannit) – Root: אחר (ʾaḥar); Form: Adverbial form; Translation: “backward”; Notes: Describes the reversal of the shadow’s motion as miraculous.
- עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֹֽות (ʿeser maʿalot) – Root: עשר (ʿeser) + עלה (ʿalah); Form: Cardinal number + plural noun feminine; Translation: “ten steps”; Notes: Specifies the exact degree of reversal in the miracle.