Ezekiel 32:14

אָ֚ז אַשְׁקִ֣יעַ מֵֽימֵיהֶ֔ם וְנַהֲרֹותָ֖ם כַּשֶּׁ֣מֶן אֹולִ֑יךְ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

Then I will make their waters sink down, and their rivers I will cause to flow like oil,” declares the Lord YHWH.

Morphology

1. אָז (ʾaz) – Root: אז (ʾaz); Form: Adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Temporal adverb indicating sequence or consequence following a previous divine act.
2. אַשְׁקִיעַ (ʾashqiʿa) – Root: שׁקע (shaqaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will make sink” or “I will cause to subside”; Notes: Causative form denoting YHWH’s action of lowering or submerging the waters, metaphorically describing desolation.
3. מֵימֵיהֶם (meimehem) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their waters”; Notes: Refers to sources of life or prosperity associated with the nations; plural construct emphasizes possession.
4. וְנַהֲרֹותָם (ve-naharotam) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their rivers”; Notes: Refers to watercourses or streams, often symbols of fertility and abundance in prophetic imagery.
5. כַּשֶּׁמֶן (ka-shemen) – Root: שׁמן (shemen); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like oil”; Notes: The simile underscores smooth, sluggish movement—conveying stagnation rather than life-giving flow.
6. אֹולִיךְ (ʾolikh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Hifil imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will cause to flow” or “I will lead”; Notes: Causative sense—YHWH directs or determines the course of the rivers; paired with “like oil” to emphasize slow movement and unnatural stillness.
7. נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “utterance” or “declaration”; Notes: A prophetic formula signifying divine authority—used to authenticate the speaker as YHWH.
8. אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדון (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular possessive ending (used as a divine title); Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Expresses dominion and sovereignty, often combined with YHWH to form a solemn prophetic signature.
9. יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal, covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel; used to affirm the divine origin of the prophecy.