וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלָיו עֲבֹר֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הָעִ֔יר בְּתֹ֖וךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהִתְוִ֨יתָ תָּ֜ו עַל־מִצְחֹ֣ות הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַנֶּֽאֱנָחִים֙ וְהַנֶּ֣אֱנָקִ֔ים עַ֚ל כָּל־הַתֹּ֣ועֵבֹ֔ות הַֽנַּעֲשֹׂ֖ות בְּתֹוכָֽהּ׃
And YHWH said to him, “Pass through the midst of the city, through the midst of Yerushalayim, and mark a sign on the foreheads of the men who are sighing and groaning over all the abominations that are being done in her.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces divine command.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition אֶל + third ms suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to the man clothed in linen.
- עֲבֹר (ʿavor) – Root: עבר; Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “pass through”; Notes: Command to move across the city.
- בְּתֹוךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “through the midst of”; Notes: Emphasizes location.
- הָעִיר (ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Refers to Jerusalem, specified next.
- בְּתֹוךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “through the midst of”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- יְרוּשָׁלִָם (Yerushalayim) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Noun proper feminine singular; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital city of Yisraʾel.
- וְהִתְוִיתָ (ve-hitvita) – Root: תו; Form: Hiphil perfect 2ms with vav-consecutive (imperative sense); Translation: “and mark”; Notes: Specific act of placing a sign (תָּו) as identification.
- תָּו (tav) – Root: תו; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a sign”; Notes: A distinguishing mark, here on the forehead.
- עַל־מִצְחֹות (ʿal-mitzḥot) – Root: מצח; Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “on the foreheads of”; Notes: Specific location for the marking.
- הָאֲנָשִׁים (ha-anashim) – Root: אנשׁ; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Refers to those who lament sin.
- הַנֶּאֱנָחִים (ha-neʾenachim) – Root: אנח; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural; Translation: “who are sighing”; Notes: Expresses sorrow or grief.
- וְהַנֶּאֱנָקִים (ve-ha-neʾenakim) – Root: אנק; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural; Translation: “and who are groaning”; Notes: Suggests audible grief or pain.
- עַל (ʿal) – Form: Preposition; Translation: “over”; Notes: Expresses reason or cause of lament.
- כָּל־הַתֹּועֵבֹות (kol-ha-toʿevot) – Root: תעב; Form: Noun feminine plural absolute with article; Translation: “all the abominations”; Notes: Refers to detestable practices in Yerushalayim.
- הַנַּעֲשֹׂות (ha-naʿasot) – Root: עשה; Form: Nifal participle feminine plural; Translation: “that are being done”; Notes: Ongoing sinful actions.
- בְּתֹוכָהּ (be-tokhah) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct + 3fs suffix; Translation: “in her”; Notes: Refers to Yerushalayim as the location of the abominations.