וַיָּבֵ֨יא אֹותִ֜י שָׁ֗מָּה וְהִנֵּה־אִישׁ֙ מַרְאֵ֨הוּ֙ כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה נְחֹ֔שֶׁת וּפְתִיל־פִּשְׁתִּ֥ים בְּיָדֹ֖ו וּקְנֵ֣ה הַמִּדָּ֑ה וְה֥וּא עֹמֵ֖ד בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃
And He brought me there, and behold, a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze, and a linen cord in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he was standing in the gate.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֵא (va-yāvēʾ) – Root: בוא (bōʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hiphil wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and He brought”; Notes: Indicates divine causation—YHWH bringing the prophet into the vision.
- אֹותִי (ʾōtī) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object pronoun 1cs; Translation: “me”; Notes: Refers to the prophet Ezekiel himself as the one guided into the vision.
- שָׁמָּה (shāmmāh) – Root: שם (shām); Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates the spatial destination of the visionary movement.
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinnēh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Marks a sudden visual revelation, introducing a new figure or scene.
- אִישׁ (ʾīsh) – Root: אישׁ (ʾīsh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Likely an angelic being appearing in human form, as often in Ezekiel’s visions.
- מַרְאֵהוּ (marʾēhu) – Root: ראה (rāʾāh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his appearance”; Notes: Refers to the visual aspect or form of the man seen in the vision.
- כְּמַרְאֵה (ke-marʾēh) – Root: ראה (rāʾāh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “like the appearance of”; Notes: Comparative phrase introducing the simile that follows.
- נְחֹשֶׁת (neḥoshet) – Root: נחשׁ (naḥash); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “bronze”; Notes: Symbolic of radiance, strength, or purity—common in descriptions of heavenly beings.
- וּפְתִיל־פִּשְׁתִּים (u-petil-pishtīm) – Root: פתל (patal) + פשׁת (pisht); Form: Conjunction וְ + construct chain noun masculine singular + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and a linen cord”; Notes: A measuring cord—used for symbolic measurement of divine order and boundary.
- בְּיָדוֹ (be-yādō) – Root: יד (yād); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct + suffix 3ms; Translation: “in his hand”; Notes: Denotes possession of the measuring tools—authority over measurement and structure.
- וּקְנֵה (u-qenēh) – Root: קנה (qanāh); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and a reed”; Notes: Refers to a measuring rod—another symbolic tool of divine precision.
- הַמִּדָּה (ha-middāh) – Root: מדד (mādad); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the measurement”; Notes: Specifies that the reed is a standardized tool of divine measurement.
- וְהוּא (ve-hūʾ) – Root: הוא (hūʾ); Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Resumes focus on the angelic man as the subject of the final clause.
- עֹמֵד (ʿōmēd) – Root: עמד (ʿāmad); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “standing”; Notes: Denotes active posture, readiness for instruction or measurement.
- בַּשָּׁעַר (ba-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the gate”; Notes: The gate is a symbolic locus of divine entry, governance, and revelation in temple imagery.