Ezekiel 31:10

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה יַ֕עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּבַ֖הְתָּ בְּקֹומָ֑ה וַיִּתֵּ֤ן צַמַּרְתֹּו֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ין עֲבֹותִ֔ים וְרָ֥ם לְבָבֹ֖ו בְּגָבְהֹֽו׃

Therefore thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Because you have become high in stature, and he set his top among the thick branches, and his heart was lifted up in his height,

Morphology

1. לָכֵן (lākhēn) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: A logical connector introducing divine judgment; marks transition from description to consequence.
2. כֹּה אָמַר (koh ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “thus says”; Notes: Prophetic formula introducing direct speech of YHWH, signaling divine authority.
3. אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה (ʾadonay YHWH) – Root: אדן (ʾadon) / הוה (havah); Form: Noun + Proper noun (Tetragrammaton); Translation: “the Lord YHWH”; Notes: Combines sovereignty (“Lord”) and divine identity (“YHWH”), expressing supreme authority in judgment.
4. יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces causal clause giving the reason for divine retribution.
5. אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that” or “because”; Notes: Functions with יַעַן to clarify the grounds for the decree.
6. גָּבַהְתָּ (gavah’tā) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have become high”; Notes: Indicates pride or self-exaltation, fitting the metaphor of the lofty cedar symbolizing Assyria’s arrogance.
7. בְּקֹומָה (be-qomah) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in height” or “in stature”; Notes: Symbol of power, dominion, or pride; often used figuratively for political elevation.
8. וַיִּתֵּן (vayyitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he set”; Notes: Describes action of self-elevation—placing the top among other lofty elements to signify dominance.
9. צַמַּרְתּוֹ (tsammar’tō) – Root: צמרת (tsameret); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his top” or “treetop”; Notes: A key metaphorical image in Ezekiel 31, representing the apex of power and pride.
10. אֶל־בֵּין עֲבֹתִים (el-bein ʿavotim) – Root: עבת (ʿavat); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the thick branches”; Notes: Evokes imagery of dense forest canopy—suggesting competition and self-placement among equals or rivals.
11. וְרָם (ve-ram) – Root: רום (rum); Form: Adjective or Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and high” or “and exalted”; Notes: Expresses elevated condition—here figuratively for prideful arrogance.
12. לְבָבוֹ (levavo) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his heart”; Notes: In Hebrew thought, the seat of will and pride—signifying internal arrogance accompanying external greatness.
13. בְּגָבְהוֹ (be-gavho) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “in his height”; Notes: Completes the parallelism—his outward elevation mirrored his inward pride, setting the stage for divine humbling.