וְיַד־יְהוָה֩ הָיְתָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בָּעֶ֗רֶב לִפְנֵי֙ בֹּ֣וא הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔י עַד־בֹּ֥וא אֵלַ֖י בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּפָּ֣תַח פִּ֔י וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי עֹֽוד׃ פ
And the hand of YHWH was upon me in the evening before the coming of the fugitive, and He opened my mouth until he came to me in the morning, and my mouth was opened, and I was no longer mute.
Morphology
- וְיַד־ (ve-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “and the hand of”; Notes: Symbol of divine power or control—often used for prophetic inspiration or divine intervention.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel, indicating the direct action of the divine upon the prophet.
- הָיְתָה (hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Describes the divine influence as a real and completed event.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “upon me / to me”; Notes: Marks the personal direction of divine action toward Yeḥezqel.
- בָּעֶרֶב (ba-ʿerev) – Root: ערב (ʿerev); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the evening”; Notes: Specifies the time before the fugitive’s arrival—preparatory for prophetic revelation.
- לִפְנֵי (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + plural construct form; Translation: “before”; Notes: Temporal preposition indicating the event occurred prior to the arrival of the messenger.
- בֹּוא (bo) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “the coming”; Notes: Serves as the object of the preposition “before,” forming the phrase “before the coming.”
- הַפָּלִיט (ha-palit) – Root: פלט (palat); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the fugitive / escapee”; Notes: Refers to the survivor who brought news of Yerushalayim’s fall.
- וַיִּפְתַּח (va-yiftach) – Root: פתח (pataḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and He opened”; Notes: YHWH acts to restore the prophet’s speech after a divinely imposed silence.
- אֶת־פִּי (et-pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + noun masculine singular with suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “my mouth”; Notes: The object of divine action—prophetic speech is now enabled again.
- עַד־בֹּוא (ʿad-bo) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Preposition עַד + infinitive construct; Translation: “until the coming”; Notes: Expresses the duration of the divine act up to the messenger’s arrival.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Reinforces that the revelation and news are both directed personally to the prophet.
- בַּבֹּקֶר (ba-boqer) – Root: בקר (boqer); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the morning”; Notes: Denotes the specific time the prophet’s speech was fully restored.
- וַיִּפָּתַח (va-yippataḥ) – Root: פתח (pataḥ); Form: Nifal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and it was opened”; Notes: Passive form stressing divine causation—the prophet’s mouth opened by YHWH Himself.
- פִּי (pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “my mouth”; Notes: Repetition underscores the miraculous renewal of prophetic utterance.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces the negation of further silence.
- נֶאֱלַמְתִּי (neʾelamti) – Root: אלם (ʾalam); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I was mute / I was silent”; Notes: Describes the prophet’s previous condition of divine restraint—now lifted.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “again / anymore”; Notes: Indicates finality—Ezekiel’s prophetic silence would not return; his speech is permanently restored.