וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֶל־הָרָקִ֨יעַ֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים כְּאֶ֣בֶן סַפִּ֔יר כְּמַרְאֵ֖ה דְּמ֣וּת כִּסֵּ֑א נִרְאָ֖ה עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
And I saw, and behold, upon the expanse that was above the head of the keruvim, like a stone of sapphire, like the appearance of a form of a throne, was seen upon them.
Morphology
- וָאֶרְאֶה (va-ʾerʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1cs; Translation: “And I saw”; Notes: Marks Ezekiel’s visionary perception.
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinne) – Root: נה; Form: Interjection with conjunction; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Introduces dramatic focus.
- אֶל־הָרָקִיעַ (el-ha-raqiaʿ) – Root: רקע; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon the expanse”; Notes: Refers to the heavenly dome above the cherubim.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces descriptive clause.
- עַל־רֹאשׁ (ʿal-rosh) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “above the head of”; Notes: Spatial reference.
- הַכְּרֻבִים (ha-keruvim) – Root: כרב; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the cherubim”; Notes: Angelic throne bearers.
- כְּאֶבֶן (ke-even) – Root: אבן; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “like a stone of”; Notes: Comparative imagery.
- סַפִּיר (sappir) – Root: ספיר; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “sapphire”; Notes: Precious stone, conveys brilliance.
- כְּמַרְאֵה (ke-marʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “like the appearance of”; Notes: Visionary simile.
- דְּמוּת (demut) – Root: דמה; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “form/likeness”; Notes: Indicates visionary resemblance.
- כִּסֵּא (kisse) – Root: כסה; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “throne”; Notes: Symbol of divine rule.
- נִרְאָה (nirʾah) – Root: ראה; Form: Niphal perfect 3ms; Translation: “was seen”; Notes: Passive perception, describes what appeared.
- עֲלֵיהֶם (ʿaleihem) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Refers to the cherubim beneath the throne.