Ezekiel 28:13

בְּעֵ֨דֶן גַּן־אֱלֹהִ֜ים הָיִ֗יתָ כָּל־אֶ֨בֶן יְקָרָ֤ה מְסֻכָתֶ֨ךָ֙ אֹ֣דֶם פִּטְדָ֞ה וְיָהֲלֹ֗ם תַּרְשִׁ֥ישׁ שֹׁ֨הַם֙ וְיָ֣שְׁפֵ֔ה סַפִּ֣יר נֹ֔פֶךְ וּבָרְקַ֖ת וְזָהָ֑ב מְלֶ֨אכֶת תֻּפֶּ֤יךָ וּנְקָבֶ֨יךָ֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּיֹ֥ום הִבָּרַאֲךָ֖ כֹּונָֽנוּ׃

You were in ʿEden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, and gold. The workmanship of your tambourines and your settings was in you; on the day you were created they were prepared.

Morphology

1. בְּעֵדֶן (be-ʿeden) – Root: עדן (ʿeden); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in ʿEden”; Notes: Refers to the mythical or symbolic location of divine perfection and abundance.
2. גַּן־אֱלֹהִים (gan-ʾelohim) – Root: גן (gan), אלה (ʾelah); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine plural of majesty; Translation: “the garden of God”; Notes: Indicates a divine dwelling or paradise setting.
3. הָיִיתָ (hayita) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you were”; Notes: Refers to the king’s exalted status likened to prelapsarian splendor.
4. כָּל־אֶבֶן (kol-ʾeven) – Root: אבן (ʾeven); Form: Noun feminine singular construct with quantifier; Translation: “every stone”; Notes: Introduces a list of precious stones representing glory and adornment.
5. יְקָרָה (yeqarah) – Root: יקר (yaqar); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “precious”; Notes: Denotes high value or rarity, emphasizing luxury.
6. מְסֻכָתֶךָ (mesukhatekha) – Root: סכך (sakhakh); Form: Pual participle feminine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “was your covering”; Notes: Passive voice emphasizes being adorned or covered by these stones.
7. אֹדֶם (ʾodem) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “ruby” or “carnelian”; Notes: A deep red gemstone, the first in the list of precious stones.
8. פִּטְדָה (pitdah) – Root: —; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “topaz”; Notes: A yellowish gem known from ancient trade regions like Cush or Arabia.
9. וְיָהֲלֹם (ve-yahalom) – Root: הלם (halam); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and diamond”; Notes: Possibly jasper or another brilliant stone; the Hebrew term may indicate hardness or brilliance.
10. תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tarshish) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun (gem name); Translation: “beryl”; Notes: A sea-colored gem, possibly named after Tarshish (Spain or southern coastlands).
11. שֹׁהַם (shoham) – Root: —; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “onyx”; Notes: A banded gem, often mentioned among priestly stones (cf. Exodus 28:20).
12. וְיָשְׁפֵה (ve-yashfeh) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and jasper”; Notes: A valued gemstone of green or red hue, symbolizing luxury.
13. סַפִּיר (sappir) – Root: —; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sapphire”; Notes: Represents deep blue gemstone associated with heavenly beauty.
14. נֹפֶךְ (nofekh) – Root: —; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “turquoise” or “emerald”; Notes: Possibly a green or blue-green gem used in royal decoration.
15. וּבָרְקַת (u-vareqat) – Root: ברק (baraq); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and emerald”; Notes: Literally means “sparkling” or “shining,” denoting brilliance.
16. וְזָהָב (ve-zahav) – Root: זהב (zahav); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and gold”; Notes: Closes the gemstone list with the ultimate symbol of wealth and divine glory.
17. מְלֶאכֶת (meleʾkhet) – Root: מלאכה (melakhah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the workmanship of”; Notes: Refers to craftsmanship or artistic design.
18. תֻּפֶּיךָ (tuppekha) – Root: תף (tof); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your tambourines”; Notes: Possibly metaphorical for musical beauty or instruments associated with celebration.
19. וּנְקָבֶיךָ (u-nekavekha) – Root: נקב (naqav); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and your settings”; Notes: Refers to mountings or sockets for jewels — intricate design imagery.
20. בָּךְ (bakh) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “in you”; Notes: Indicates the adornments were part of the being’s very creation and nature.
21. בְּיֹום (be-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Temporal phrase introducing the moment of creation.
22. הִבָּרַאֲךָ (hibbaraʾkha) – Root: ברא (baraʾ); Form: Niphal infinitive construct + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you were created”; Notes: Passive form emphasizes divine agency — the being’s origin lies solely in God’s act of creation.
23. כֹּונָנוּ (konanu) – Root: כון (kun); Form: Pual perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they were prepared”; Notes: Refers to the establishment or arrangement of these adornments at the time of creation.