וַֽיַּעֲנ֞וּ אֶת־מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה הָֽעֹמֵד֙ בֵּ֣ין הַהֲדַסִּ֔ים וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְנוּ בָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֥ה כָל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יֹשֶׁ֥בֶת וְשֹׁקָֽטֶת׃
And they answered the messenger of YHWH who stands among the myrtles and they said, “We have walked in the earth and look all the earth is sitting and quiet.”
Morphology
- וַיַּעֲנ֞וּ (va-yaʿanu) – Root: ען (ʿan); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they answered”; Notes: The riders respond collectively to the messenger of YHWH.
- אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Introduces the direct object of the action.
- מַלְאַךְ (malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “messenger”; Notes: The divine envoy addressed in the vision.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Specifies whose messenger is being addressed.
- הָעֹמֵד (ha-ʿomed) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Definite Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “who stands”; Notes: Describes his stationed posture among the myrtles.
- בֵּין (bein) – Root: בין; Form: Preposition; Translation: “among”; Notes: Indicates spatial placement.
- הַהֲדַסִּים (ha-hadassim) – Root: הדס (hadas); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the myrtles”; Notes: A recurring feature in Zechariah’s vision setting.
- וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Continues the report of the riders.
- הִתְהַלַּכְנוּ (hithallakhnu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Hitpael perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “We have walked about”; Notes: Indicates patrolling activity across the earth.
- בָאָרֶץ (ba-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the earth”; Notes: Specifies the domain covered by the patrol.
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinne) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and look”; Notes: Introduces the surprising report of global conditions.
- כָל (kol) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “all”; Notes: Governs the following definite noun.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: The state of the entire world is being described.
- יֹשֶׁבֶת (yoshevet) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “is sitting”; Notes: Depicts settled calmness.
- וְשֹׁקָטֶת (ve-shoqatet) – Root: שׁקט (shaqat); Form: Qal participle feminine singular with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and quiet”; Notes: Reinforces the condition of peace observed by the patrol.