הִ֣יא הַחַיָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֛יתִי תַּ֥חַת אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּֽנְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וָאֵדַ֕ע כִּ֥י כְרוּבִ֖ים הֵֽמָּה׃
She is the living creature that I saw under the God of Yisraʾel at the river Kevar, and I knew that they are keruvim.
Morphology
- הִיא (hi) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun, 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “She/it”; Notes: Pronoun agrees in gender with הַחַיָּה and functions as a copular “it is/she is.”
- הַחַיָּה (ha-ḥayyah) – Root: חיה; Form: Noun feminine singular with article; Translation: “the living creature”; Notes: Title for the visionary beings in Yeḥezqel’s throne-chariot vision.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that/which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause modifying הַחַיָּה.
- רָאִיתִי (raʾiti) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I saw”; Notes: First-person narration by the prophet anchors the clause in past time.
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “under”; Notes: Spatial preposition indicating position beneath the deity’s manifestation.
- אֱלֹהֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל (Elohei-Yisraʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + proper name; Translation: “the God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Plural form in construct with singular sense (plural of majesty); covenant title.
- בִּנְהַר־כְּבָר (binhar-Kevar) – Root: נהר; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular “river” in construct with proper name כְּבָר; Translation: “at the River Kevar”; Notes: Location marker of Ezekiel’s visions; maqaf binds the construct chain.
- וָאֵדַע (va-ʾedaʿ) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I knew”; Notes: Wayyiqtol (narrative past) advances the storyline, marking realization/recognition.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a content clause of what the prophet came to know.
- כְרוּבִים (keruvim) – Root: כרוב; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “keruvim”; Notes: Identifies the beings of the vision as the cherubic throne-bearers.
- הֵמָּה (hemmah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Predicate-pronoun use functioning as a copular “they are,” confirming identification.