וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י בֶּן־אָדָם֙ הִנְנִ֨י שֹׁבֵ֤ר מַטֵּה־לֶ֨חֶם֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְאָכְלוּ־לֶ֥חֶם בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל וּבִדְאָגָ֑ה וּמַ֕יִם בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה וּבְשִׁמָּמֹ֖ון יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃
And he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am breaking the staff of bread in Yerushalayim, and they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and water by measure and in desolation they shall drink.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces divine speech to Ezekiel.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1cs suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks recipient of the address.
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-adam) – Root: בן + אדם; Form: Construct chain; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: Prophetic title addressing Ezekiel, emphasizing mortality.
- הִנְנִי (hineni) – Root: הנה; Form: Demonstrative particle + 1cs suffix; Translation: “behold, I”; Notes: Introduces divine intent emphatically.
- שֹׁבֵר (shover) – Root: שׁבר; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “breaking”; Notes: Ongoing divine action of judgment.
- מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם (matteh-leḥem) – Root: מטה + לחם; Form: Construct chain noun masculine singular; Translation: “staff of bread”; Notes: Metaphor for the support or supply of food.
- בִּירוּשָׁלִַם (bi-Yerushalayim) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Yerushalayim”; Notes: Geographic location of judgment.
- וְאָכְלוּ (ve-ʾakhelu) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal perfect 3mp with vav consecutive (modal future); Translation: “and they shall eat”; Notes: Predicts restricted consumption.
- לֶחֶם (leḥem) – Root: לחם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Symbol of basic sustenance.
- בְּמִשְׁקָל (be-mishqal) – Root: שׁקל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “by weight”; Notes: Measured and rationed food.
- וּבִדְאָגָה (u-vi-deʾagah) – Root: דאג; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and with anxiety”; Notes: Emotional state accompanying scarcity.
- וּמַיִם (u-mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and water”; Notes: Parallel rationing of water.
- בִּמְשׂוּרָה (bi-mesurah) – Root: מסר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “by measure”; Notes: Water rationed in exact quantity.
- וּבְשִׁמָּמֹון (u-ve-shimmamon) – Root: שׁמם; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and in desolation”; Notes: Atmosphere of devastation during rationing.
- יִשְׁתּוּ (yishtu) – Root: שׁתה; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall drink”; Notes: Continues the parallel with bread rationing, highlighting scarcity.