וְאָמַרְתָּ֞ כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הַנֶּ֤שֶׁר הַגָּדֹול֙ גְּדֹ֤ול הַכְּנָפַ֨יִם֙ אֶ֣רֶךְ הָאֵ֔בֶר מָלֵא֙ הַנֹּוצָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־לֹ֖ו הָֽרִקְמָ֑ה בָּ֚א אֶל־הַלְּבָנֹ֔ון וַיִּקַּ֖ח אֶת־צַמֶּ֥רֶת הָאָֽרֶז׃
And you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “The great eagle, great of wings, long of pinion, full of plumage, which had embroidery, came to the Levanon and he took the top of the cedar.”
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (ve-amarta) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with prefixed וְ; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Imperatival perfect with waw, introducing prophetic speech formula.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Standard introductory particle to divine declarations.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic formula “thus says.”
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾAdonai) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun, plural of majesty with 1st person common singular suffix; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: A title applied to YHWH.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- הַנֶּשֶׁר (ha-nesher) – Root: נשר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the eagle”; Notes: A powerful bird symbolizing empire or ruler.
- הַגָּדֹול (ha-gadol) – Root: גדל; Form: Adjective masculine singular definite; Translation: “the great”; Notes: Describes the eagle’s might.
- גְּדֹול (gadol) – Root: גדל; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of stature.
- הַכְּנָפַיִם (ha-kenafayim) – Root: כנף; Form: Noun dual masculine with definite article; Translation: “the wings”; Notes: Symbolizes far-reaching power or dominion.
- אֶרֶךְ (erekh) – Root: ארך; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “long”; Notes: Describes the expanse of the wingspan.
- הָאֵבֶר (ha-ʾever) – Root: אבר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the pinion”; Notes: Refers to a strong wing-feather, emphasizing strength in flight.
- מָלֵא (male) – Root: מלא; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “full”; Notes: Introduces the eagle’s abundance of feathers.
- הַנֹּוצָה (ha-notseh) – Root: נצה; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the plumage”; Notes: Refers to the feathers, sign of richness and majesty.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Connects description to embroidery.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: ל + הוא; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to it / for it”; Notes: Possessive sense “which had.”
- הָרִקְמָה (ha-riqmah) – Root: רקם; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the embroidery”; Notes: Refers to variegated or patterned coloring of plumage, metaphor for splendor.
- בָּא (ba) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “came”; Notes: Action verb introducing the eagle’s approach.
- אֶל־ (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to / into”; Notes: Marks direction of motion.
- הַלְּבָנֹון (ha-levanon) – Root: לבנ; Form: Proper noun with definite article; Translation: “the Levanon”; Notes: Mountainous region famous for cedar trees.
- וַיִּקַּח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he took”; Notes: Action verb showing possession by the eagle.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Particle marking definite direct object; Translation: “(marks the object)”; Notes: Indicates that what follows is the direct object.
- צַמֶּרֶת (tsammeret) – Root: צמר; Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “top of”; Notes: Refers to the highest branch or crown of a tree.
- הָאָרֶז (ha-ʾerez) – Root: ארז; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the cedar”; Notes: Famous Levanon tree, symbolic of majesty and strength.