וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הֲתִחְיֶ֖ינָה הָעֲצָמֹ֣ות הָאֵ֑לֶּה וָאֹמַ֕ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃
And He said to me, “Son of man, shall these bones live?” And I said, “Lord YHWH, You know.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: A standard narrative form introducing direct divine speech.
- אֵלַי (ʾelai) – Root: —; Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1st person singular; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks direct address—YHWH speaks personally to the prophet.
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: A common address for Ezekiel, emphasizing his human frailty in contrast to divine majesty.
- הֲתִחְיֶינָה (ha-tihyenah) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Interrogative prefix הֲ + Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “shall they live?”; Notes: Feminine plural agrees with “bones”; expresses divine questioning to elicit faith and reflection.
- הָעֲצָמֹות (ha-ʿatsamot) – Root: עצם (ʿetsem); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the bones”; Notes: Refers to the dry, lifeless remains representing hopelessness or spiritual death.
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-elleh) – Root: —; Form: Definite article הַ + demonstrative pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the bones already observed in the previous verses.
- וָאֹמַר (va-omar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 1st person singular; Translation: “and I said”; Notes: Ezekiel’s humble response to the divine question.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix (title of reverence); Translation: “Lord”; Notes: A respectful title acknowledging YHWH’s sovereign authority.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God, denoting His eternal being and power to give life.
- אַתָּה (attah) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s exclusive knowledge and omniscience.
- יָדָעְתָּ (yadaʿta) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “know” or “You know”; Notes: A declaration of trust—Ezekiel defers to divine wisdom regarding the possibility of resurrection.