הַשְׁמֵן֙ לֵב־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאָזְנָ֥יו הַכְבֵּ֖ד וְעֵינָ֣יו הָשַׁ֑ע פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֨ה בְעֵינָ֜יו וּבְאָזְנָ֣יו יִשְׁמָ֗ע וּלְבָבֹ֥ו יָבִ֛ין וָשָׁ֖ב וְרָ֥פָא לֹֽו׃
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed.
Morphology
- הַשְׁמֵן (hashmen) – Root: שׁמן (shaman); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Make fat”; Notes: Metaphorically refers to dulling or hardening the heart.
- לֵב־הָעָם (lev-haʿam) – Root: לב (lev), עם (ʿam); Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the heart of the people”; Notes: The inner faculties of understanding and will.
- הַזֶּה (hazzeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative masculine singular with article; Translation: “this”; Notes: Points to Isaiah’s own nation.
- וְאָזְנָיו (ve-oznav) – Root: אזן (ozen); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his ears”; Notes: Refers to the nation’s collective hearing.
- הַכְבֵּד (hakbed) – Root: כבד (kaved); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “make heavy”; Notes: Metaphor for making dull or unresponsive.
- וְעֵינָיו (ve-ʿeinav) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his eyes”; Notes: Part of the sensory triad representing spiritual perception.
- הָשַׁע (hāshaʿ) – Root: שׁעע (shaʿaʿ); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “shut” or “smear over”; Notes: Rare root meaning to blind or close up.
- פֶּן (pen) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Introduces purpose clause with feared result.
- יִרְאֶה (yirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he see”; Notes: Refers to spiritual perception through physical sight.
- בְעֵינָיו (be-ʿeinav) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with his eyes”; Notes: Literal organs through which perception might occur.
- וּבְאָזְנָיו (u-ve-oznav) – Root: אזן (ozen); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine plural with suffix; Translation: “and with his ears”; Notes: Auditory faculty as part of understanding.
- יִשְׁמָע (yishmaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he hear”; Notes: Expresses the feared possibility of understanding truth.
- וּלְבָבוֹ (u-levavo) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with suffix; Translation: “and his heart”; Notes: Seat of discernment and volition.
- יָבִין (yavin) – Root: בין (bin); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he understand”; Notes: Central action of spiritual comprehension.
- וָשָׁב (va-shav) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he returns”; Notes: Refers to repentance.
- וְרָפָא לוֹ (ve-rafa lo) – Root: רפא (rafaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunction + preposition + suffix; Translation: “and he be healed”; Notes: Healing as metaphor for spiritual restoration.