כֹּ֤ה הִרְאַ֨נִי֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה וְהִנֵּה֙ יֹוצֵ֣ר גֹּבַ֔י בִּתְחִלַּ֖ת עֲלֹ֣ות הַלָּ֑קֶשׁ וְהִ֨נֵּה־לֶ֔קֶשׁ אַחַ֖ר גִּזֵּ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
Thus the Lord YHWH showed me, and behold, He was forming locusts at the beginning of the coming up of the late growth; and behold, it was the late growth after the king’s mowing.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic vision or demonstration shown to the prophet by YHWH.
- הִרְאַנִי (hirʾani) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 1st person common singular; Translation: “He showed me”; Notes: Indicates a divine revelation experienced by the prophet.
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title emphasizing YHWH’s authority as Master and Sovereign.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hvh); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God; paired with Adonai for emphasis.
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinneh) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Marks the introduction of a visual element within the prophetic vision.
- יֹוצֵר (yotser) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “forming”; Notes: Describes YHWH actively shaping or creating—underscoring His control over natural forces.
- גֹּבַי (govai) – Root: גבה (gavah) or גבי (govai); Form: Noun masculine plural (collective); Translation: “locusts”; Notes: Refers to a swarm of locusts, symbolizing divine judgment through famine.
- בִּתְחִלַּת (bitḥillat) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the beginning of”; Notes: Indicates the starting point in time of the event described.
- עֲלֹות (ʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal infinitive construct feminine; Translation: “the coming up”; Notes: Refers to the sprouting or emergence of the crop.
- הַלָּקֶשׁ (ha-lakesh) – Root: לקש (laqash); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the late growth”; Notes: Refers to the later crop after the early harvest, often crucial for survival.
- וְהִנֵּה־לֶקֶשׁ (ve-hinneh-lekesh) – Root: לקש (laqash); Form: Conjunction וְ + interjection + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and behold, the late growth”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes the timing and significance of the crop’s destruction.
- אַחַר (aḥar) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates chronological sequence—after the royal harvest.
- גִּזֵּי (gizzei) – Root: גזה (gazah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the mowings of”; Notes: Refers to the first cutting or harvest of the grass or grain.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to the royal portion or tax taken first before the common people’s share—indicating economic hierarchy even in agriculture.