Ezekiel 3:21

וְאַתָּ֞ה כִּ֧י הִזְהַרְתֹּ֣ו צַדִּ֗יק לְבִלְתִּ֥י חֲטֹ֛א צַדִּ֖יק וְה֣וּא לֹא־חָטָ֑א חָיֹ֤ו יִֽחְיֶה֙ כִּ֣י נִזְהָ֔ר וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס

But you, when you have warned the righteous not to sin, and the righteous has not sinned, he shall surely live because he was warned, and you have delivered your life.”

Morphology

1. וְאַתָּה (ve-atta) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction ו + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “But you”; Notes: Shifts focus back to Ezekiel’s responsibility.
2. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “when”; Notes: Conditional usage, introducing a circumstance.
3. הִזְהַרְתֹּו (hizharto) – Root: זהר; Form: Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you have warned him”; Notes: Causative: to issue warning or admonition.
4. צַדִּיק (tsaddiq) – Root: צדק; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a righteous [man]”; Notes: Describes the subject of the warning.
5. לְבִלְתִּי (le-vilti) – Root: —; Form: Preposition ל + negative infinitive marker; Translation: “not to”; Notes: Introduces a purpose clause with negative force.
6. חֲטֹא (ḥato) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “sin”; Notes: Completes the purpose clause “not to sin.”
7. צַדִּיק (tsaddiq) – Root: צדק; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a righteous [man]”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of subject.
8. וְהוּא (ve-hu) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction ו + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Begins a conditional result clause.
9. לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb “sinned.”
10. חָטָא (ḥata) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has sinned”; Notes: Refers to actual conduct.
11. חָיֹו (ḥayyo) – Root: חיה; Form: Infinitive absolute + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he shall surely live”; Notes: Infinitive absolute used with imperfect for emphasis of certainty.
12. יִחְיֶה (yiḥyeh) – Root: חיה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall live”; Notes: Completes the emphatic construction of certain life.
13. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the outcome.
14. נִזְהָר (nizhar) – Root: זהר; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he was warned”; Notes: Passive form, indicating successful reception of the warning.
15. וְאַתָּה (ve-atta) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction ו + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Returns to Ezekiel as subject.
16. אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [not translated]; Notes: Introduces the direct object “your life.”
17. נַפְשְׁךָ (nafshekha) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your life/soul”; Notes: Refers to Ezekiel’s personal responsibility.
18. הִצַּלְתָּ (hitzalta) – Root: נצל; Form: Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have delivered”; Notes: Indicates Ezekiel’s faithful discharge of duty secures his life.