בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶת־זִקְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הֲלִדְרֹ֥שׁ אֹתִ֖י אַתֶּ֣ם בָּאִ֑ים חַי־אָ֨נִי֙ אִם־אִדָּרֵ֣שׁ לָכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
“Son of man, speak to the elders of Yisraʾel and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “Is it to seek me that you come? As I live, I will not be sought by you,” declares the Lord YHWH.’
Morphology
- בֶּן – Root: בֵּן; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “son of”; Notes: In construct with אָדָם.
- אָדָם – Root: אָדָם; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man”; Notes: Forms prophetic address “son of man.”
- דַּבֵּר – Root: דָּבַר; Form: Piel imperative masculine singular; Translation: “speak”; Notes: Direct command to the prophet.
- אֶת – Form: Object marker; Translation: “(marks definite object)”; Notes: Flags following noun phrase as object.
- זִקְנֵי – Root: זָקֵן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “elders of”; Notes: Heads a construct phrase with Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל – Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies whom the elders belong to.
- וְאָמַרְתָּ – Root: אָמַר; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive (sequential); Translation: “and you shall say”; Notes: Second instruction given to Ezekiel.
- אֲלֵהֶם – Root: אֵל; Form: Preposition אֶל + third person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Marks indirect object.
- כֹּה – Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Standard prophetic introduction.
- אָמַר – Root: אָמַר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic formula: “Thus says the Lord YHWH.”
- אֲדֹנָי – Root: אָדֹן; Form: Proper title; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Divine title joined with YHWH.
- יְהוִה – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- הֲלִדְרֹשׁ – Root: דָּרַשׁ; Form: Interrogative particle הֲ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to seek?”; Notes: Begins rhetorical question.
- אֹתִי – Form: Object marker + 1cs suffix; Translation: “me”; Notes: Object of “to seek.”
- אַתֶּם – Form: Independent pronoun 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Subject of “come.”
- בָּאִים – Root: בּוֹא; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “come”; Notes: Expresses ongoing/repeated action.
- חַי – Root: חָיָה; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “living”; Notes: Used idiomatically in oath formula “As I live.”
- אָנִי – Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of oath expression.
- אִם – Form: Particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces conditional or emphatic statement.
- אִדָּרֵשׁ – Root: דָּרַשׁ; Form: Niphal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will be sought”; Notes: Passive/middle nuance; expresses divine refusal.
- לָכֶם – Form: Preposition לְ + second person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “by you”; Notes: Identifies intended seekers.
- נְאֻם – Root: נְאֻם; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “declaration”; Notes: Formal prophetic affirmation.
- אֲדֹנָי – Root: אָדֹן; Form: Proper title; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Part of divine declaration formula.
- יְהוִה – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name concluding the declaration.