וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י בֶּן־אָדָם֙ אֶת־מְקֹ֣ום כִּסְאִ֗י וְאֶת־מְקֹום֙ כַּפֹּ֣ות רַגְלַ֔י אֲשֶׁ֧ר אֶשְׁכָּן־שָׁ֛ם בְּתֹ֥וךְ בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְעֹולָ֑ם וְלֹ֣א יְטַמְּא֣וּ עֹ֣וד בֵּֽית־֠יִשְׂרָאֵל שֵׁ֣ם קָדְשִׁ֞י הֵ֤מָּה וּמַלְכֵיהֶם֙ בִּזְנוּתָ֔ם וּבְפִגְרֵ֥י מַלְכֵיהֶ֖ם בָּמֹותָֽם׃
And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Yisraʾel forever; and the house of Yisraʾel shall no longer defile My holy name, they and their kings, by their whoredom and by the corpses of their kings in their high places.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Common prophetic formula introducing direct divine speech.
- אֵלַי (ʾelay) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates Ezekiel as the direct recipient of YHWH’s message.
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun construct masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: A recurring divine address to Ezekiel, emphasizing human frailty before divine majesty.
- אֶת־מְקֹום (ʾet-meqom) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the place of”; Notes: Refers to the designated location of divine presence.
- כִּסְאִי (kisʾi) – Root: כסא (kisseʾ); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “My throne”; Notes: Symbol of YHWH’s sovereign rule and presence.
- וְאֶת־מְקֹום (ve-ʾet-meqom) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Conjunction וְ + direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the place of”; Notes: Repetition stresses the sacred geography of divine habitation.
- כַּפֹּות (kappot) – Root: כף (kaf); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “soles of”; Notes: A vivid anthropomorphic metaphor for YHWH’s presence.
- רַגְלַי (raglai) – Root: רגל (regel); Form: Noun feminine plural construct + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “My feet”; Notes: Symbolizes divine stability and habitation.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “where” or “that”; Notes: Introduces the clause of divine dwelling among His people.
- אֶשְׁכָּן (ʾeshkan) – Root: שׁכן (shakan); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will dwell”; Notes: The promise of YHWH’s permanent presence among Yisraʾel.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the temple site where YHWH will reside.
- בְּתוֹךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Expresses relational nearness and divine indwelling among the people.
- בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל (be-nei-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben) / ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition בְּ + plural construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant community of YHWH.
- לְעוֹלָם (le-ʿolam) – Root: עלם (ʿalam); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Stresses the eternal nature of YHWH’s dwelling among His people.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces a negated future action.
- יְטַמְּאוּ (yeṭammeʾu) – Root: טמא (ṭamaʾ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall defile”; Notes: Refers to ritual and moral defilement, often associated with idolatry.
- עוֹד (ʿod) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “again” or “anymore”; Notes: Denotes cessation of past unfaithfulness.
- בֵּית־יִשְׂרָאֵל (beit-Yisraʾel) – Root: בית (bayit) / ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct chain (noun masculine singular construct + proper noun); Translation: “the house of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Collective term for the people of the covenant nation.
- שֵׁם (shem) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “name”; Notes: Represents divine reputation and holiness.
- קָדְשִׁי (qodshi) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “My holiness” or “My holy name”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s sacred identity.
- הֵמָּה (hemah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphasizes the people’s collective responsibility.
- וּמַלְכֵיהֶם (u-malkheihem) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their kings”; Notes: Includes the rulers who led the nation into idolatry and corruption.
- בִּזְנוּתָם (bi-znutam) – Root: זנה (zanah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “by their whoredom”; Notes: Metaphorical for idolatry and covenantal unfaithfulness.
- וּבְפִגְרֵי (u-ve-figrei) – Root: פגר (peger); Form: Conjunction וּ + preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “and by the corpses of”; Notes: Refers to the defiling remains of their kings associated with idolatrous burial practices.
- מַלְכֵיהֶם (malkheihem) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their kings”; Notes: Likely refers to the idolatrous rulers of Yisraʾel and Yehudah.
- בָּמוֹתָם (bamotam) – Root: במה (bamah); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “in their high places”; Notes: Refers to the idolatrous shrines or elevated sites where their kings were worshiped or buried, symbols of national apostasy.