עֹשֵׂ֨ה כִימָ֜ה וּכְסִ֗יל וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ לַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ צַלְמָ֔וֶת וְיֹ֖ום לַ֣יְלָה הֶחְשִׁ֑יךְ הַקֹּורֵ֣א לְמֵֽי־הַיָּ֗ם וַֽיִּשְׁפְּכֵ֛ם עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ יְהוָ֥ה שְׁמֹֽו׃ ס
He who makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into morning, and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth — YHWH is His name.
Morphology
- עֹשֵׂה (ʿoseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “He who makes”; Notes: Describes YHWH as the continual Creator and sustainer of the cosmos.
- כִימָה (kimah) – Root: כימה (kimah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Pleiades”; Notes: A constellation symbolizing spring; part of YHWH’s creative dominion over the heavens.
- וּכְסִיל (u-kesil) – Root: כסיל (kesil); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and Orion”; Notes: Another constellation, often representing autumn or winter, showing YHWH’s mastery over the stars.
- וְהֹפֵךְ (ve-hopekh) – Root: הפך (hafakh); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and turning”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s transforming power over light and darkness.
- לַבֹּקֶר (la-boqer) – Root: בקר (boqer); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “into morning”; Notes: Indicates transformation from night to day.
- צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) – Root: צלם + מות (tsal + mavet); Form: Compound noun masculine singular; Translation: “deep darkness”; Notes: Symbol of deathly gloom or the darkest night, turned into morning by YHWH.
- וְיֹום (ve-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and day”; Notes: The counterpart to night, also under YHWH’s control.
- לַיְלָה (la-lailah) – Root: לילה (laylah); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “into night”; Notes: Describes reversal of time—YHWH causes day to turn into night.
- הֶחְשִׁיךְ (heḥshikh) – Root: חשׁך (ḥashakh); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He has darkened”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s power to bring darkness upon light.
- הַקֹּורֵא (ha-qoreʾ) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the One who calls”; Notes: Introduces another divine action, summoning the waters by command.
- לְמֵי־הַיָּם (le-mei-ha-yam) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “for the waters of the sea”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s control over natural forces.
- וַיִּשְׁפְּכֵם (va-yishpekem) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and He pours them out”; Notes: Illustrates divine action controlling rainfall or floods upon the land.
- עַל־פְּנֵי (ʿal-penei) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “upon the face of”; Notes: A Hebrew idiom describing widespread coverage over the earth.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Represents the inhabited land under YHWH’s dominion.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The sacred Name emphasizing the covenantal Creator.
- שְׁמֹו (shemó) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “His name”; Notes: Declares the identity of the Creator and Judge—“YHWH is His name.”