Ezekiel 44:5

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלַ֜י יְהֹוָ֗ה בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם שִׂ֣ים לִבְּךָ֩ וּרְאֵ֨ה בְעֵינֶ֜יךָ וּבְאָזְנֶ֣יךָ שְּׁמָ֗ע אֵ֣ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר אֹתָ֔ךְ לְכָל־חֻקֹּ֥ות בֵּית־יְהוָ֖ה וּלְכָל־תּוֹרָתֹ֑ו וְשַׂמְתָּ֤ לִבְּךָ֙ לִמְבֹ֣וא הַבַּ֔יִת בְּכֹ֖ל מֹוצָאֵ֥י הַמִּקְדָּֽשׁ׃

And YHWH said to me, “Son of man, set your heart, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I speak with you concerning all the statutes of the house of YHWH and all its laws, and set your heart to the entrance of the house, and to all the exits of the sanctuary.

Morphology

1. וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: A common narrative formula introducing divine speech.
2. אֵלַי (elay) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person common singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks YHWH directly addressing the prophet Ezekiel.
3. יְהֹוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, the speaker giving divine instruction.
4. בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-adam) – Root: בן (ben) / אדם (adam); Form: Construct chain: noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: A title frequently used by YHWH to address Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and prophetic role.
5. שִׂים (sim) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “set”; Notes: A direct command — Ezekiel must deliberately fix his attention or focus (“set your heart”).
6. לִבְּךָ (libbekha) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: The heart in Hebrew thought represents intellect, attention, and moral intent.
7. וּרְאֵה (u-reʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “and see”; Notes: A command for prophetic observation — to perceive spiritually and physically what YHWH shows.
8. בְעֵינֶיךָ (beʿeineikha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with your eyes”; Notes: Reinforces the sensory act of witnessing the temple vision personally.
9. וּבְאָזְנֶיךָ (u-veʾozneikha) – Root: אזן (ʾozen); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and with your ears”; Notes: Complements “see with your eyes” — both physical and spiritual attentiveness are commanded.
10. שְׁמָע (shemaʿ) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “hear”; Notes: Command to listen with understanding and obedience — key covenantal verb in prophetic literature.
11. אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר (et kol-asher) – Root: כל (kol) / אשר (ʾasher); Form: Direct object marker + noun + relative particle; Translation: “all that”; Notes: Introduces the content of divine communication that Ezekiel must attend to carefully.
12. אֲנִי (ani) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: YHWH personally emphasizes His role as the speaker.
13. מְדַבֵּר (medabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “am speaking”; Notes: Ongoing divine speech — emphasizes continuous revelation being imparted.
14. אֹתָךְ (otakh) – Root: —; Form: Direct object pronoun 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “to you” or “with you”; Notes: The direct recipient of the divine message.
15. לְכָל־חֻקּוֹת (le-khol-ḥuqqot) – Root: חקק (ḥaqaq); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “concerning all the statutes”; Notes: Refers to the prescribed laws or decrees of temple regulation.
16. בֵּית־יְהוָה (beit-YHWH) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Construct chain: noun + divine name; Translation: “the house of YHWH”; Notes: The temple — the physical and spiritual dwelling of YHWH in Ezekiel’s vision.
17. וּלְכָל־תּוֹרָתוֹ (u-le-khol-torato) – Root: ירה (yarah); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and concerning all its laws”; Notes: The totality of divine instruction governing the temple and its holiness.
18. וְשַׂמְתָּ (ve-samta) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with prefixed conjunction וְ; Translation: “and you shall set”; Notes: Parallels the earlier imperative “set your heart,” reinforcing the command to pay attention.
19. לִבְּךָ (libbekha) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Repetition stresses deep internal focus and intentional contemplation.
20. לִמְבֹוא (li-mavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the entrance”; Notes: Refers to the entryway of the temple — access points symbolizing approach to holiness.
21. הַבַּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: The temple of YHWH.
22. בְּכֹל (be-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in all” or “with regard to all”; Notes: Introduces totality of the next phrase — every exit of the sanctuary.
23. מֹוצָאֵי (motzaʾei) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the exits” or “outgoings”; Notes: Refers to the doorways and pathways by which one departs from the sacred precincts.
24. הַמִּקְדָּשׁ (ha-miqdash) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sanctuary”; Notes: The holy domain of YHWH, representing the center of divine presence and ritual purity.