בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָבֹ֨ות הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמֹורָשָֽׁה׃ ס
“Son of man, the inhabitants of these ruins on the land of Yisraʾel are saying, ‘Abraham was one man, and he inherited the land; but we are many, to us the land has been given for an inheritance.’
Morphology
- בֶּן־ (ben) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “son of”; Notes: Vocative expression introducing YHWH’s address to the prophet Yeḥezqel.
- אָדָם (adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Together with “ben,” forms the prophetic title “son of man,” emphasizing human frailty in contrast to divine authority.
- יֹשְׁבֵי (yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “inhabitants of”; Notes: Describes those dwelling among the ruins—survivors of judgment.
- הֶחֳרָבֹות (he-ḥoravot) – Root: חרב (ḥarav); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the ruins”; Notes: Refers to desolate settlements or destroyed cities of Yisraʾel.
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-elleh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the particular ruins being discussed—those remaining after judgment.
- עַל־אַדְמַת (ʿal-admat) – Root: אדמה (adamah); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “on the land of”; Notes: Indicates location—upon the territory belonging to Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers collectively to the covenant people and their homeland.
- אֹמְרִים (ʾomrim) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are saying”; Notes: Continuous speech expressing presumption or false confidence among the survivors.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition לְ; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of their speech directly.
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Refers to Abraham as a single individual in contrast to the multitude now speaking.
- הָיָה (hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: States Abraham’s solitary condition at the time of promise.
- אַבְרָהָם (Avraham) – Root: אברהם (Avraham); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: The patriarch to whom YHWH gave the covenant promise of the land.
- וַיִּירַשׁ (va-yirash) – Root: ירשׁ (yarash); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he inherited”; Notes: Indicates the divine granting of the land to Abraham as an inheritance.
- אֶת־הָאָרֶץ (et-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Direct object marker אֶת + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Object of inheritance—refers to the promised land.
- וַאֲנַחְנוּ (va-anaḥnu) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun plural; Translation: “and we”; Notes: Marks contrast between Abraham’s singular inheritance and their claim as a multitude.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) – Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Emphasizes their numerical superiority as the basis of their presumptive right.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Expresses self-assertion in claiming divine inheritance.
- נִתְּנָה (nittnah) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has been given”; Notes: Passive form—claims divine gift, but falsely assumed.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: The same promised land formerly granted to Abraham.
- לְמֹורָשָׁה (le-morashah) – Root: ירשׁ (yarash); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for an inheritance”; Notes: Denotes a permanent possession—here claimed presumptuously by the people.