Ezekiel 34:8

חַי־אָ֜נִי נְאֻ֣ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־לֹ֣א יַ֣עַן הֱיֹֽות־צֹאנִ֣י לָבַ֡ז וַתִּֽהְיֶינָה֩ צֹאנִ֨י לְאָכְלָ֜ה לְכָל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ מֵאֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֔ה וְלֹֽא־דָרְשׁ֥וּ רֹעַ֖י אֶת־צֹאנִ֑י וַיִּרְע֤וּ הָֽרֹעִים֙ אֹותָ֔ם וְאֶת־צֹאנִ֖י לֹ֥א רָעֽוּ׃ ס

“As I live,” declares the Lord YHWH, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, for there was no shepherd, and My shepherds did not seek My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock.”

Morphology

1. חַי־אָ֜נִי (ḥai-ʾani) – Root: חי (ḥay); Form: Adjective masculine singular + pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “As I live”; Notes: A divine oath formula emphasizing certainty and authority of YHWH’s declaration.
2. נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “utterance” or “declaration”; Notes: Formal prophetic formula introducing a solemn pronouncement.
3. אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix used as divine title; Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Reverential title preceding the divine name YHWH.
4. יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of Israel’s God, affirming divine authority.
5. אִם־לֹא (ʾim-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conditional particle + negative particle; Translation: “surely” or “truly”; Notes: Idiomatic oath construction conveying emphasis, not literal conditionality.
6. יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: יען (yaʿan); Form: Preposition functioning as conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces causal clause explaining divine judgment.
7. הֱיֹות־צֹאנִי (heyot-tsoni) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Infinitive construct + noun common collective feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock being”; Notes: Expresses state or condition—YHWH’s flock being preyed upon.
8. לָבַז (la-vaz) – Root: בזז (bazaz); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for prey”; Notes: Indicates purpose or result—the flock becoming spoil for plunderers.
9. וַתִּהְיֶינָה (va-tihyenah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “and they became”; Notes: Refers to the flock becoming food for wild beasts.
10. צֹאנִי (tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun common collective feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s ownership and care.
11. לְאָכְלָה (le-okhlah) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for food”; Notes: Indicates purpose—the flock consumed by wild beasts.
12. לְכָל־חַיַּת (le-khol-ḥayat) – Root: חי (ḥay); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “for every beast of”; Notes: Construct phrase linking to the following word “the field.”
13. הַשָּׂדֶה (ha-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (sadeh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the field”; Notes: Symbolic of the world or hostile nations devouring the flock.
14. מֵאֵין (me-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Preposition מִן + negative existential particle; Translation: “because there was no”; Notes: Explains the reason for the flock’s plight—absence of shepherds.
15. רֹעֶה (roʿeh) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shepherd”; Notes: Denotes leader or caretaker; here the negligent leadership of Yisraʾel.
16. וְלֹא־דָרְשׁוּ (ve-lo-darshu) – Root: דרשׁ (darash); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle לֹא + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they did not seek”; Notes: Denotes deliberate neglect—the shepherds ignored their duty.
17. רֹעַי (roʿai) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My shepherds”; Notes: Possessive—YHWH’s appointed leaders who failed in responsibility.
18. אֶת־צֹאנִי (ʾet-tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “My flock”; Notes: Object of the verb “seek”; emphasizes divine ownership of the people.
19. וַיִּרְעוּ (va-yirʿu) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “but they fed”; Notes: Indicates selfish activity—the shepherds cared for themselves.
20. הָרֹעִים (ha-roʿim) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the shepherds”; Notes: The leaders of Yisraʾel; in context, corrupt and exploitative.
21. אֹותָם (ʾotam) – Root: אות (ʾot); Form: Direct object marker + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “themselves”; Notes: Reflexive—feeding themselves instead of the flock.
22. וְאֶת־צֹאנִי (ve-ʾet-tsoni) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Conjunction וְ + direct object marker + noun feminine singular + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “and My flock”; Notes: Contrasts their self-service with neglect of YHWH’s people.
23. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb, underscoring failure of duty.
24. רָעוּ (raʿu) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they fed”; Notes: Indicates their failure to tend YHWH’s flock, marking complete dereliction of leadership.