וַיְדַבֵּ֖ר אֵלָ֑י זֹ֣ה הַלִּשְׁכָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר פָּנֶ֨יהָ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַדָּרֹ֔ום לַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַבָּֽיִת׃
And he spoke to me, “This chamber, whose face is toward the south, belongs to the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.
Morphology
- וַיְדַבֵּר (va-yedabber) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Introduces direct speech from the angelic guide to the prophet.
- אֵלָי (elai) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1cs; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks the recipient of the divine communication—Ezekiel.
- זֹה (zōh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the specific chamber just described.
- הַלִּשְׁכָּה (ha-lishkah) – Root: לשׁך (l-sh-k); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the chamber”; Notes: A side room or temple chamber used by priests for official duties.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a clause describing the chamber’s orientation.
- פָּנֶיהָ (paneha) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 3fs; Translation: “its face”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to the direction the chamber faces.
- דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך (d-r-k); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “toward”; Notes: Expresses spatial orientation.
- הַדָּרֹום (ha-darom) – Root: דרם (d-r-m); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the south”; Notes: Specifies the direction faced by this particular chamber.
- לַכֹּהֲנִים (la-kohanim) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “for the priests”; Notes: Indicates that this chamber is designated for priestly use.
- שֹׁמְרֵי (shomerei) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “keepers of”; Notes: Refers to those responsible for guarding or maintaining temple order.
- מִשְׁמֶרֶת (mishmeret) – Root: שׁמר (sh-m-r); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “charge” or “duty”; Notes: Technical term for the priestly responsibility or watch within the temple service.
- הַבָּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Refers to the temple itself, the dwelling place of YHWH.