שְׁאַל־לְךָ֣ אֹ֔ות מֵעִ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ הַעְמֵ֣ק שְׁאָ֔לָה אֹ֖ו הַגְבֵּ֥הַּ לְמָֽעְלָה׃
Ask for yourself a sign from with YHWH your God; make it deep to Sheʾol or make it high above.
Morphology
- שְׁאַל־ (sheʾal) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Ask”; Notes: A divine command directed at Aḥaz to request a confirming sign.
- לְךָ (lekha) – Root: ל (le), אתה (ʾattah); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Emphasizes the personal benefit or assurance of the sign.
- אֹות (ʾot) – Root: אות (ʾot); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a sign”; Notes: Refers to a miraculous or prophetic token from YHWH.
- מֵעִם (me-ʿim) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with prefix mem (מ); Translation: “from with”; Notes: Stronger form of “from,” emphasizing divine source.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine giver of the sign.
- אֱלֹהֶיךָ (ʾElohekha) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Possessive — a reminder of covenantal relationship.
- הַעְמֵק (haʿmeq) – Root: עמק (ʿamaq); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “make it deep”; Notes: Emphasizes boldness — suggesting a profound or challenging request.
- שְׁאָ֔לָה (sheʾalah) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal infinitive absolute used as a noun; Translation: “a request”; Notes: Reinforces the act of asking; paired with the imperative for intensity.
- אֹו (ʾo) – Root: או (ʾo); Form: Disjunctive conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Introduces the alternative — height instead of depth.
- הַגְבֵּהַּ (hagbehah) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “make it high”; Notes: Encourages boldness — a supernatural sign reaching upward.
- לְמָֽעְלָה (lemaʿlah) – Root: מעל (maʿal); Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “above”; Notes: Spatial imagery of the heavens — contrasting with Sheʾol.