וְהִנֵּ֣ה שִׁשָּׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֡ים בָּאִ֣ים מִדֶּרֶךְ־שַׁ֨עַר הָעֶלְיֹ֜ון אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָפְנֶ֣ה צָפֹ֗ונָה וְאִ֨ישׁ כְּלִ֤י מַפָּצֹו֙ בְּיָדֹ֔ו וְאִישׁ־אֶחָ֤ד בְּתֹוכָם֙ לָבֻ֣שׁ בַּדִּ֔ים וְקֶ֥סֶת הַסֹּפֵ֖ר בְּמָתְנָ֑יו וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ וַיַּ֣עַמְד֔וּ אֵ֖צֶל מִזְבַּ֥ח הַנְּחֹֽשֶׁת׃
And behold, six men were coming from the way of the upper gate which faces north, and each man his weapon of smashing in his hand; and one man among them was clothed in linen, and the scribe’s inkhorn was on his loins, and they came and stood beside the bronze altar.
Morphology
- וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinneh) – Form: Deictic particle; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Introduces a new vision scene.
- שִׁשָּׁה (shishah) – Root: שׁשׁ; Form: Numeral masculine plural absolute; Translation: “six”; Notes: Specifies number of men.
- אֲנָשִׁים (anashim) – Root: אנשׁ; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “men”; Notes: Identifies the group of figures.
- בָּאִים (baʾim) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “coming”; Notes: Describes their ongoing approach.
- מִדֶּרֶךְ־ (mi-derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from the way of”; Notes: Introduces source of their entry.
- שַׁעַר (shaʿar) – Root: שער; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “gate of”; Notes: Refers to temple gate.
- הָעֶלְיֹון (ha-ʿelyon) – Root: עלל; Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the upper”; Notes: Describes the gate’s position.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces clause about orientation.
- מָפְנֶה (mafneh) – Root: פנה; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “faces/turns”; Notes: Describes orientation of the gate.
- צָפֹונָה (tsafonah) – Root: צפון; Form: Noun masculine singular with directional he; Translation: “northward”; Notes: Locative direction.
- וְאִישׁ (ve-ish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and each man”; Notes: Individual description within group.
- כְּלִי (keli) – Root: כלי; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “weapon of”; Notes: Refers to destructive instrument.
- מַפָּצֹו (mapatso) – Root: פצץ; Form: Noun masculine singular + 3ms suffix; Translation: “his smashing/destructive weapon”; Notes: Tool of destruction.
- בְּיָדֹו (be-yado) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + 3ms suffix; Translation: “in his hand”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- וְאִישׁ־אֶחָד (ve-ish eḥad) – Root: אישׁ, אחד; Form: Conjunction + noun + numeral; Translation: “and one man”; Notes: Highlights a distinct figure among them.
- בְּתֹוכָם (be-tokham) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “in their midst”; Notes: Locative phrase.
- לָבֻשׁ (lavush) – Root: לבשׁ; Form: Qal passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “clothed”; Notes: Describes his garment.
- בַּדִּים (baddim) – Root: בד; Form: Noun masculine plural absolute with article; Translation: “linen garments”; Notes: Priestly or angelic attire.
- וְקֶסֶת (ve-qeset) – Root: קסת; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “and an inkhorn”; Notes: Writing implement of a scribe.
- הַסֹּפֵר (ha-sofer) – Root: ספר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the scribe”; Notes: Defines the type of inkhorn.
- בְּמָתְנָיו (be-motnav) – Root: מתן; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine dual construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “on his loins”; Notes: Placement of the inkhorn.
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they came”; Notes: Marks arrival.
- וַיַּעַמְדוּ (va-yaʿamdu) – Root: עמד; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they stood”; Notes: Indicates positioning by the altar.
- אֵצֶל (etzel) – Root: אצל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “beside”; Notes: Locative preposition indicating proximity.
- מִזְבַּח (mizbeaḥ) – Root: זבח; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “altar of”; Notes: Refers to a cultic altar.
- הַנְּחֹשֶׁת (ha-neḥoshet) – Root: נחשת; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the bronze”; Notes: Qualifies the material of the altar.