וְאַתָּ֨ה בֶן־אָדָ֜ם שִׂים־לְךָ֣ שְׁנַ֣יִם דְּרָכִ֗ים לָבֹוא֙ חֶ֣רֶב מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל מֵאֶ֥רֶץ אֶחָ֖ד יֵצְא֣וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֑ם וְיָ֣ד בָּרֵ֔א בְּרֹ֥אשׁ דֶּֽרֶךְ־עִ֖יר בָּרֵֽא׃
And you, son of man, set for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Bavel to come. From one land the two of them shall go out. And a hand prepare at the head of the way to the city; prepare it.
Morphology
- וְאַתָּה (ve-atta) – Root: אתה (ʾattah); Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “And you”; Notes: Direct address to the prophet, marking him as the actor.
- בֶן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: בן (ben), אדם (ʾadam); Form: Construct phrase noun masculine singular + absolute noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: Title for Ezekiel, emphasizing human frailty.
- שִׂים־לְךָ (sim-lekha) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + preposition לְ with 2ms suffix; Translation: “set for yourself”; Notes: Command to arrange or designate.
- שְׁנַיִם (shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Dual absolute; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the number of ways.
- דְּרָכִים (derakhim) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “ways”; Notes: Refers to routes or paths.
- לָבֹוא (la-vo) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to come”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of judgment and warfare.
- מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל (melekh-Bavel) – Root: מלך (melekh), בבל (Bavel); Form: Construct phrase: noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “the king of Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Nebuchadnezzar as agent of YHWH’s judgment.
- מֵאֶרֶץ (me-ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “from land”; Notes: Designates source or origin.
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “one”; Notes: Stresses singularity of source.
- יֵצְאוּ (yetzeʾu) – Root: יצא (yatzaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall go out”; Notes: Refers to the two ways departing from one land.
- שְׁנֵיהֶם (shenehem) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Noun dual construct + 3mp pronominal suffix; Translation: “the two of them”; Notes: Refers back to the two ways.
- וְיָד (ve-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and a hand”; Notes: Likely symbol for a signpost or marker.
- בָּרֵא (bareʾ) – Root: ברא (baraʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “make”; Notes: Command to create or fashion.
- בְּרֹאשׁ (be-rosh) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “at the head”; Notes: Locative sense, at the beginning of the way.
- דֶּרֶךְ־עִיר (derekh-ʿir) – Root: דרך (derekh), עיר (ʿir); Form: Construct phrase: noun masculine singular + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the way of a city”; Notes: Refers to the urban destination.
- בָּרֵא (bareʾ) – Root: ברא (baraʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “make”; Notes: Repetition of command for emphasis.