Isaiah 21:8

וַיִּקְרָ֖א אַרְיֵ֑ה עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה אֲדֹנָ֗י אָנֹכִ֞י עֹמֵ֤ד תָּמִיד֙ יֹומָ֔ם וְעַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֥י נִצָּ֖ב כָּל־הַלֵּילֹֽות׃

And the lion called, “Upon the watchtower, my Lord, I am standing continually by day, and upon my guard I am stationed all the nights.

Morphology

1. וַיִּקְרָ֖א (va-yiqra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Introduces a vocal declaration from the watchman or symbolic “lion.”
2. אַרְיֵ֑ה (aryeh) – Root: ארה (aryeh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “lion”; Notes: Could symbolize the prophet, a watchman, or metaphor for boldness in declaration.
3. עַל־מִצְפֶּ֣ה (ʿal-mitspeh) – Root: צפה (tsafah); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon the watchtower”; Notes: Elevated place of vigilance, symbolic of prophetic perspective.
4. אֲדֹנָ֗י (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person possessive; Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: Refers to God in respectful address.
5. אָנֹכִ֞י (anokhi) – Root: —; Form: Independent personal pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic pronoun, stressing the speaker’s role.
6. עֹמֵ֤ד (ʿomed) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “standing”; Notes: Continuous action of maintaining position.
7. תָּמִיד֙ (tamid) – Root: תמד (tamid); Form: Adverb; Translation: “continually”; Notes: Emphasizes unceasing duty or vigilance.
8. יֹומָ֔ם (yomam) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Adverb; Translation: “by day”; Notes: Temporal adverb—contrasted with “nights” later in verse.
9. וְעַל־מִ֨שְׁמַרְתִּ֔י (ve-ʿal-mishmarti) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and upon my guard”; Notes: Refers to the assigned watch-duty post.
10. אָנֹכִ֥י (anokhi) – Root: —; Form: Independent personal pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis of personal responsibility.
11. נִצָּ֖ב (nitsav) – Root: נצב (natsav); Form: Nifal participle masculine singular; Translation: “am stationed”; Notes: Passive-reflexive stem indicating enduring positioning.
12. כָּל־הַלֵּילֹֽות (kol-ha-leilot) – Root: ליל (layil); Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article in construct; Translation: “all the nights”; Notes: Complement to “by day”—marks comprehensive time coverage of the watchman’s role.