וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם וְהִנֵּ֤ה סֻלָּם֙ מֻצָּ֣ב אַ֔רְצָה וְרֹאשֹׁ֖ו מַגִּ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וְהִנֵּה֙ מַלְאֲכֵ֣י אֱלֹהִ֔ים עֹלִ֥ים וְיֹרְדִ֖ים בֹּֽו׃
And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached to the heavens; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Morphology
- וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֗ם (va-yachalom) – Root: חלם (ḥ-l-m); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he dreamed”; Notes: Introduces the visionary dream of Jacob.
- וְהִנֵּ֤ה (ve-hinneh) – Root: N/A; Form: Particle of attention; Translation: “And behold”; Notes: Emphasizes the vividness of the vision.
- סֻלָּם֙ (sullam) – Root: סלם (s-l-m); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “A ladder”; Notes: Represents a connection between earth and heaven.
- מֻצָּ֣ב (mutzav) – Root: יצב (y-ts-v); Form: Verb, Hophal, Participle, ms; Translation: “Set up”; Notes: Indicates the ladder’s firm placement on the earth.
- אַ֔רְצָה (artzah) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Noun, fs with directional suffix; Translation: “On the earth”; Notes: Specifies the base of the ladder.
- וְרֹאשֹׁ֖ו (ve-rosho) – Root: ראש (r-ʾ-sh); Form: Noun, ms with 3ms suffix; Translation: “And its top”; Notes: Refers to the upper part of the ladder.
- מַגִּ֣יעַ (maggiʿa) – Root: נגע (n-g-ʿ); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Participle, ms; Translation: “Reaching”; Notes: Describes the ladder’s connection to the heavens.
- הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה (hashamaymah) – Root: שמים (sh-m-y-m); Form: Noun, mp with directional suffix; Translation: “To the heavens”; Notes: Indicates the ladder’s endpoint.
- וְהִנֵּה֙ (ve-hinneh) – Root: N/A; Form: Particle of attention; Translation: “And behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the second aspect of the vision.
- מַלְאֲכֵ֣י (malʾakhei) – Root: מלאך (m-l-ʾ-k); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “The angels of”; Notes: Represents divine messengers.
- אֱלֹהִ֔ים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, mp; Translation: “God”; Notes: Indicates divine authority.
- עֹלִ֥ים (olim) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Participle, mp; Translation: “Ascending”; Notes: Suggests movement upward on the ladder.
- וְיֹרְדִ֖ים (ve-yordim) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Form: Verb, Qal, Participle, mp; Translation: “And descending”; Notes: Indicates reciprocal movement downward.
- בֹּֽו׃ (bo) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “On it”; Notes: Refers to the ladder as the medium of the movement.