וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְשַׁעְיָ֗הוּ זֶה־לְּךָ֤ הָאֹות֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֚י יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֵּ֑ר הָלַ֤ךְ הַצֵּל֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר מַֽעֲלֹ֔ות אִם־יָשׁ֖וּב עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֹֽות׃
And Yeshayahu said, “This is the sign for you from YHWH, that YHWH will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or return ten steps?”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces the prophetic declaration.
- יְשַׁעְיָ֗הוּ (Yeshayahu) – Root: ישע (yeshaʿ) + יהו (yahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yeshayahu”; Notes: The prophet speaking to Ḥizqiyahu.
- זֶה־לְּךָ֤ (zeh-lekha) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun + preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “This is for you”; Notes: Introduces a sign specifically for Ḥizqiyahu.
- הָאֹות (ha-ʾot) – Root: אות (ʾot); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sign”; Notes: Refers to a miraculous or symbolic confirmation.
- מֵאֵ֣ת (meʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Preposition מִן + noun; Translation: “from”; Notes: Indicates divine origin of the sign.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The source and guarantor of the sign.
- כִּ֚י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the reason or explanation.
- יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה (yaʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He will do”; Notes: Refers to the fulfillment of YHWH’s word.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis on divine action.
- אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר (et-ha-davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the thing”; Notes: Refers to the promised healing and deliverance.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause modifying “the thing.”
- דִּבֵּ֑ר (dibber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He has spoken”; Notes: Emphasizes the reliability of prophetic speech.
- הָלַ֤ךְ (halakh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Shall… go”; Notes: Used interrogatively to pose the sign’s form.
- הַצֵּל (ha-tzel) – Root: צלל (tsalal); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the shadow”; Notes: Refers to the shadow on the steps, a visual sign.
- עֶ֣שֶׂר מַֽעֲלֹ֔ות (ʿeser maʿalot) – Root: עשר (ʿeser) + עלה (ʿalah); Form: Cardinal number + plural noun feminine; Translation: “ten steps”; Notes: Possibly steps of a sundial or stairway.
- אִם־יָשׁ֖וּב (im-yashuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “or shall it return”; Notes: Presents an alternative miraculous direction.
- עֶ֥שֶׂר מַעֲלֹֽות (ʿeser maʿalot) – Root: עשר (ʿeser) + עלה (ʿalah); Form: Cardinal number + plural noun feminine; Translation: “ten steps”; Notes: Repetition clarifies the supernatural choice offered.