בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם אֱמֹר֩ לִנְגִ֨יד צֹ֜ר כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה יַ֣עַן גָּבַ֤הּ לִבְּךָ֙ וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֵ֣ל אָ֔נִי מֹושַׁ֧ב אֱלֹהִ֛ים יָשַׁ֖בְתִּי בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּ֑ים וְאַתָּ֤ה אָדָם֙ וְֽלֹא־אֵ֔ל וַתִּתֵּ֥ן לִבְּךָ֖ כְּלֵ֥ב אֱלֹהִֽים׃
“Son of man, say to the prince of Tsor, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “Because your heart was lifted up and you said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are a man and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God.
Morphology
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: בן (ben), אדם (ʾadam); Form: Construct chain noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: A frequent divine address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his human frailty in contrast to divine authority.
- אֱמֹר (ʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “say”; Notes: A command introducing the prophetic message.
- לִנְגִיד (li-negid) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the prince”; Notes: Refers to the ruler of Tyre, emphasizing his political and symbolic role as leader of a proud maritime kingdom.
- צֹר (Tsor) – Root: צור (Tsor); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tyre”; Notes: The Phoenician city-state, here personified as a proud monarch subject to divine judgment.
- כֹּה־אָמַר (koh-ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Adverb כֹּה + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “thus said”; Notes: A prophetic formula introducing the direct words of YHWH.
- אֲדֹנָי יְהֹוִה (Adonai YHWH) – Form: Title + divine name; Translation: “the Lord YHWH”; Notes: Combines title of sovereignty (Adonai) with covenantal name (YHWH), emphasizing divine authority.
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: עון (ʿanah); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the coming judgment.
- גָּבַהּ (gavah) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was lifted up” or “became proud”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to arrogance or self-exaltation.
- לִבְּךָ (libbekha) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Symbolizes the seat of will, pride, and intent.
- וַתֹּאמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you said”; Notes: Introduces the king’s blasphemous claim of divinity.
- אֵל (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a god”; Notes: Refers to divine status—here falsely claimed by the human ruler.
- אָנִי (ʾani) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Expresses self-identification and arrogance, contrasting sharply with divine reality.
- מֹושַׁב (moshav) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “seat” or “dwelling place”; Notes: Denotes a position of rule or authority.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine plural (used singularly for deity); Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to divine majesty; here the king claims equality with God.
- יָשַׁבְתִּי (yashavti) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I sit”; Notes: Represents the king’s boast of occupying divine status or authority.
- בְּלֵב (be-lev) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “in the heart of”; Notes: Describes the central position of Tyre within the sea—both geographically and symbolically.
- יַמִּים (yammim) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “seas”; Notes: Symbolizes Tyre’s maritime domain and the realm of her pride.
- וְאַתָּה (ve-ʾattah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 2nd person masculine singular with conjunction וְ; Translation: “but you”; Notes: Marks contrast between divine claim and human reality.
- אָדָם (ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Highlights human limitation in contrast to divine perfection.
- וְלֹא־אֵל (ve-lo-ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and not God”; Notes: Explicit denial of the ruler’s divine pretensions.
- וַתִּתֵּן (va-titten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you set”; Notes: Indicates deliberate action—the ruler shaped his heart to emulate divine pride.
- לִבְּךָ (libbekha) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Repetition reinforces the theme of arrogance centered in the heart’s intentions.
- כְּלֵב (ke-lev) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as the heart of”; Notes: Comparative phrase—aspiring to divine wisdom or status.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine plural (used singularly for deity); Translation: “God”; Notes: The object of comparison—Tyre’s ruler presumes divine equality, a theme of hubris leading to judgment.