וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י הַמַּ֤יִם הָאֵ֨לֶּה֙ יֹוצְאִ֗ים אֶל־הַגְּלִילָה֙ הַקַּדְמֹונָ֔ה וְיָרְד֖וּ עַל־הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וּבָ֣אוּ הַיָּ֔מָּה אֶל־הַיָּ֥מָּה הַמּֽוּצָאִ֖ים וְנִרְפְּאוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃
And he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region, and go down into the ʿArava, and enter the sea; into the sea, the waters that go out, and the waters are healed.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yōmer) – Root: אָמַר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces the explanatory speech of the guide in the vision.
- אֵלַי (ʾelai) – Root: אֶל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 1cs; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks the addressee of the statement, the prophet Ezekiel.
- הַמַּיִם (ha-mayim) – Root: מַיִם (mayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the waters”; Notes: Refers to the life-giving stream issuing from the Temple.
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-ʾelleh) – Root: אֵלֶּה (ʾelleh); Form: Definite demonstrative pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the particular waters seen in the vision.
- יֹוצְאִים (yōtsʾīm) – Root: יָצָא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are going out”; Notes: Describes the continual flowing movement of the waters.
- אֶל־הַגְּלִילָה (ʾel-ha-gĕlilah) – Root: גָּלַל (galal); Form: Preposition אֶל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “toward the region”; Notes: The word “gĕlilah” means district or region; here likely the eastern plain.
- הַקַּדְמֹונָה (ha-qadmonah) – Root: קֶדֶם (qedem); Form: Definite adjective feminine singular; Translation: “the eastern”; Notes: Defines the direction of the region toward the sunrise.
- וְיָרְדוּ (ve-yāredū) – Root: יָרַד (yarad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they go down”; Notes: Indicates descent from higher ground (Jerusalem) to the ʿAravah below sea level.
- עַל־הָעֲרָבָה (ʿal-ha-ʿaravah) – Root: עֲרָבָה (ʿaravah); Form: Preposition עַל + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “into the ʿAravah”; Notes: Refers to the Jordan rift valley south of Yerushalayim.
- וּבָאוּ (u-vāʾu) – Root: בּוֹא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they enter”; Notes: Describes arrival of the waters at their destination.
- הַיָּמָּה (ha-yammah) – Root: יָם (yam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular with directional ending; Translation: “the sea”; Notes: Likely the Dead Sea, destination of the flowing waters.
- אֶל־הַיָּמָּה (ʾel-ha-yammah) – Root: יָם (yam); Form: Preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine singular with directional ending; Translation: “into the sea”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes the flow’s direction and completion.
- הַמּוּצָאִים (ha-mūtsaʾīm) – Root: יָצָא (yatsaʾ); Form: Pual participle masculine plural definite; Translation: “that go out”; Notes: Passive participle describing the outflowing waters which issue forth from the Temple.
- וְנִרְפְּאוּ (ve-nirpĕʾu) – Root: רָפָא (raphaʾ); Form: Nifal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and were healed”; Notes: Passive/reflexive form—indicates restoration or purification of the formerly lifeless waters.
- הַמָּיִם (ha-mayim) – Root: מַיִם (mayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the waters”; Notes: Concludes the verse describing the miraculous healing of the sea by the temple’s life-giving stream.