בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הִנָּבֵא֙ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה הֵילִ֖ילוּ הָ֥הּ לַיֹּֽום׃
“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord YHWH: “Wail! ‘Alas for the day!’
Morphology
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: בן (ben), אדם (ʾadam); Form: Construct chain: noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: Divine address formula to the prophet Yeḥezqel, emphasizing his humanity before divine revelation.
- הִנָּבֵא (hin naveʾ) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Niphal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “prophesy”; Notes: A command to speak forth divine words; Niphal used reflexively for prophetic utterance inspired by YHWH.
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (veʾamarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with וְ consecutive; Translation: “and you shall say”; Notes: Typical formula in prophetic commissions introducing YHWH’s words to be declared.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Serves to introduce divine speech in prophetic declarations (“Thus says YHWH”).
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: The verb of speaking—used idiomatically in divine speech formulae.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun plural of majesty; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Title expressing divine authority; distinguished from YHWH by context.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal covenant name of God, expressing His eternal and self-existent nature.
- הֵילִילוּ (heililu) – Root: ילל (yalal); Form: Piel imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Wail!”; Notes: Command of lamentation, expressing grief or judgment; frequent in prophetic dirges.
- הָהּ (hah) – Root: —; Form: Interjection; Translation: “Alas!” or “Ah!”; Notes: Expresses despair or mourning; heightens the emotional tone of lamentation.
- לַיֹּום (la-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “for the day”; Notes: Refers to a specific “day of judgment” motif—often the “day of YHWH.”