וַיָּבֹ֗וא אֶל־שַׁ֨עַר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר פָּנָיו֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַקָּדִ֔ימָה וַיַּ֖עַל בְּמַעֲלֹתָ֑יו וַיָּ֣מָד אֶת־סַ֣ף הַשַּׁ֗עַר קָנֶ֤ה אֶחָד֙ רֹ֔חַב וְאֵת֙ סַ֣ף אֶחָ֔ד קָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד רֹֽחַב׃
And he came to the gate whose face was toward the east, and he went up by its steps, and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed wide, and the other threshold, one reed wide.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹא (va-yāvōʾ) – Root: בוא (bōʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he came”; Notes: Indicates movement into a new spatial area of the visionary temple.
- אֶל־שַׁעַר (ʾel-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the gate”; Notes: The gate is the main entrance structure to the temple complex.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause describing the gate’s orientation.
- פָּנָיו (pānāv) – Root: פנה (panāh); Form: Noun masculine plural (dual) + suffix 3ms; Translation: “its face”; Notes: Refers to the gate’s front side or directional orientation.
- דֶּרֶךְ (dérekh) – Root: דרך (dārekh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “toward” / “in the direction of”; Notes: Indicates the orientation of the gate.
- הַקָּדִימָה (ha-qādīmah) – Root: קדם (qadam); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the east”; Notes: Refers to the direction facing sunrise—symbolically associated with divine glory in Ezekiel.
- וַיַּעַל (va-yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿālah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he went up”; Notes: Indicates ascent, physically by steps, often symbolizing elevation toward holiness.
- בְּמַעֲלֹתָיו (be-maʿalōtāv) – Root: מעלה (maʿălāh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural construct + suffix 3ms; Translation: “by its steps”; Notes: Refers to the stairway leading up to the gate structure.
- וַיָּמָד (va-yāmād) – Root: מדד (mādad); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he measured”; Notes: Continues the act of precise measurement begun earlier.
- אֶת־סַף (ʾet-saf) – Root: סף (saf); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “the threshold of”; Notes: The lower crosspiece of the gate’s entrance.
- הַשַּׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: The eastern gate, the principal entryway of the visionary temple.
- קָנֶה (qāneh) – Root: קנה (qanāh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a reed”; Notes: Measurement unit equal to about six long cubits.
- אֶחָד (eḥād) – Root: אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Defines the width of the threshold—one full measuring reed.
- רֹחַב (roḥav) – Root: רחב (raḥav); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “width”; Notes: Specifies horizontal measurement of the threshold.
- וְאֵת (ve-ʾet) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + direct object marker; Translation: “and (the)”; Notes: Links a second threshold being measured.
- סַף (saf) – Root: סף (saf); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “threshold”; Notes: Repeated term emphasizes both gate thresholds measured symmetrically.
- אֶחָד (eḥād) – Root: אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Reiterates identical measure for the second threshold.
- קָנֶה (qāneh) – Root: קנה (qanāh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “reed”; Notes: Specifies unit of measurement again, confirming equal size.
- אֶחָד (eḥād) – Root: אחד (ʾeḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Expresses uniformity and perfect symmetry of dimensions.
- רֹחַב (roḥav) – Root: רחב (raḥav); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “width”; Notes: Concludes the description by repeating the width measurement for emphasis.