מָדַ֖ד ר֣וּחַ הַצָּפֹ֑ון חֲמֵשׁ־מֵאֹ֥ות קָנִ֛ים בִּקְנֵ֥ה הַמִּדָּ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃
He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed, round about.
Morphology
- מָדַד (madad) – Root: מדד (madad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He measured”; Notes: Continues the sequence of temple measurements performed by the guiding figure.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “side” or “direction”; Notes: Refers here to a cardinal direction (“side” of the temple enclosure).
- הַצָּפֹון (ha-tsafon) – Root: צפון (tsafon); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the north”; Notes: Indicates the northern side or boundary being measured.
- חֲמֵשׁ־מֵאֹות (ḥamesh-meʾot) – Root: חמשׁ (ḥamesh) / מא (meʾah); Form: Numeral compound: “five hundred”; Translation: “five hundred”; Notes: Specifies the total length of the northern measurement in reeds.
- קָנִים (qanim) – Root: קנה (qanah); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “reeds”; Notes: The measuring unit used in Ezekiel’s vision, each reed equaling six long cubits.
- בִּקְנֵה (bi-qneh) – Root: קנה (qanah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “with the reed of”; Notes: Indicates the instrument by which the measurement was taken.
- הַמִּדָּה (ha-middah) – Root: מדד (madad); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the measurement”; Notes: Refers to the standard measuring reed used for all temple dimensions.
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב (savav); Form: Adverb; Translation: “round about” or “around”; Notes: Indicates that the measuring encompassed the area entirely along the northern side.