בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֶת־זְרֹ֛ועַ פַּרְעֹ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם שָׁבָ֑רְתִּי וְהִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־֠חֻבְּשָׁה לָתֵ֨ת רְפֻאֹ֜ות לָשׂ֥וּם חִתּ֛וּל לְחָבְשָׁ֥הּ לְחָזְקָ֖הּ לִתְפֹּ֥שׂ בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ ס
“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Parʿo king of Mitsrayim, and behold, it has not been bound up to apply healing medicines, to put a bandage to bind it, to strengthen it, that it may hold the sword.
Morphology
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: A frequent divine address to Yeḥezqel (Ezekiel), emphasizing his humanity in contrast to divine power.
- אֶת־זְרֹועַ (ʾet-zerōaʿ) – Root: זרע (zaraʿ); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the arm”; Notes: Metaphorical for military power or might; used here for Egypt’s strength through Parʿo.
- פַּרְעֹה (Parʿo) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo (Pharaoh)”; Notes: The ruler of Mitsrayim, symbolizing human arrogance opposing YHWH’s sovereignty.
- מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם (melekh-Mitsrayim) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Mitsrayim (Egypt)”; Notes: Title identifying the Pharaoh as sovereign of Egypt.
- שָׁבָרְתִּי (shavarti) – Root: שׁבר (shavar); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have broken”; Notes: Symbolic of divine judgment and incapacitation of Egypt’s power.
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Introduces the observable consequence or condition resulting from divine action.
- לֹא־חֻבְּשָׁה (lo-ḥubbeshah) – Root: חבשׁ (ḥavash); Form: Pual perfect 3rd person feminine singular with negation לֹא; Translation: “was not bound up”; Notes: Describes an unhealed wound, indicating Egypt’s continued weakness and inability to recover.
- לָתֵת (latet) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to apply” or “to give”; Notes: Introduces purpose—refers to the act of administering healing remedies.
- רְפֻאֹות (refuʾot) – Root: רפא (rafaʾ); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “healing medicines” or “remedies”; Notes: Symbolic of restoration; here the lack of healing signifies permanent judgment.
- לָשׂוּם (lasum) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to put” or “to place”; Notes: Purpose infinitive introducing the next stage of healing metaphor—applying bandages.
- חִתּוּל (ḥittul) – Root: חתל (ḥatal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bandage”; Notes: A medical metaphor for support and restoration of strength; Egypt receives none.
- לְחָבְשָׁהּ (leḥavshah) – Root: חבשׁ (ḥavash); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “to bind it”; Notes: Continuation of the healing imagery, expressing Egypt’s unbandaged, unresolved condition.
- לְחָזְקָהּ (leḥazqah) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “to strengthen it”; Notes: Expresses restoration of strength; the lack thereof symbolizes Egypt’s irreversible collapse.
- לִתְפֹּשׂ (litpos) – Root: תפשׂ (taphas); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to grasp” or “to seize”; Notes: Indicates the function of the arm—military capability; the inability to hold the sword implies defeat.
- בֶּחָרֶב (beḥarev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the sword”; Notes: Instrumental expression—symbol of warfare and strength; emphasizes Egypt’s lost martial power.