וָאֵ֣רֶא כְּעֵ֣ין חַשְׁמַ֗ל כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֤שׁ בֵּֽית־לָהּ֙ סָבִ֔יב מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה מָתְנָ֖יו וּלְמָ֑עְלָה וּמִמַּרְאֵ֤ה מָתְנָיו֙ וּלְמַ֔טָּה רָאִ֨יתִי֙ כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֔שׁ וְנֹ֥גַֽהּ לֹ֖ו סָבִֽיב׃
And I saw like the appearance of ḥashmal, like the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw like the appearance of fire, and brightness to it all around.
Morphology
- וָאֵרֶא (va-ʾereʾ) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person common singular; Translation: “And I saw”; Notes: Ezekiel narrates his visionary perception.
- כְּעֵין (ke-ʿein) – Root: עין; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the appearance of”; Notes: Introduces a simile of visionary imagery.
- חַשְׁמַל (ḥashmal) – Root: uncertain; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “ḥashmal”; Notes: A rare term, often understood as a glowing substance, linked to brilliance or amber-like fire.
- כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ (ke-marʾeh-ʾesh) – Root: ראה / אשׁ; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular construct + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “like the appearance of fire”; Notes: Comparison to blazing fire.
- בֵּית־לָהּ (beit-lah) – Root: בית; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “within it”; Notes: Refers to what is contained inside the vision of fire.
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Adverb; Translation: “all around”; Notes: Indicates surrounding radiance or encirclement.
- מִמַּרְאֵה (mi-marʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from the appearance of”; Notes: Indicates the visual origin point.
- מָתְנָיו (motnav) – Root: מתן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his loins”; Notes: Refers to the midsection of the visionary figure.
- וּלְמָעְלָה (u-lemaʿlah) – Root: מעל; Form: Conjunction ו + preposition ל + adverb; Translation: “and upward”; Notes: Marks the direction above his loins.
- וּמִמַּרְאֵה (u-mi-marʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Conjunction ו + preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “and from the appearance of”; Notes: Parallel structure repeating the description.
- מָתְנָיו (motnav) – Root: מתן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his loins”; Notes: Repeated for symmetry.
- וּלְמַטָּה (u-lemaṭah) – Root: מטה; Form: Conjunction ו + preposition ל + adverb; Translation: “and downward”; Notes: Indicates the lower direction beneath his loins.
- רָאִיתִי (raʾiti) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I saw”; Notes: Reiteration emphasizing Ezekiel’s perception.
- כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ (ke-marʾeh-ʾesh) – Root: ראה / אשׁ; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular construct + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “like the appearance of fire”; Notes: Visionary imagery of fire repeated.
- וְנֹגַהּ (ve-nogah) – Root: נגה; Form: Conjunction ו + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and brightness”; Notes: Describes radiant light accompanying the fire.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: לו; Form: Preposition ל + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to it”; Notes: Refers to the fire/visionary figure as possessing radiance.
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Adverb; Translation: “all around”; Notes: Repeated, emphasizing the enveloping brightness.