וְעַתָּ֣ה חֲזַ֣ק זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֡ה וַחֲזַ֣ק יְהֹושֻׁ֣עַ בֶּן־יְהֹוצָדָק֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּדֹ֜ול וַחֲזַ֨ק כָּל־עַ֥ם הָאָ֛רֶץ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֖ה וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י אִתְּכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃
And now be strong, Zerubbavel,’ declares YHWH, ‘and be strong, Yehoshua son of Yehotsadaq the High Priest, and be strong all the people of the land,’ declares YHWH, ‘and do, for I am with you,’ declares YHWH of Hosts.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-attah) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Marks a transition to immediate exhortation.
- חֲזַק (ḥazaq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “be strong”; Notes: Direct command of encouragement.
- זְרֻבָּבֶל (Zerubbavel) – Root: זרב (zrb); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Zerubbabel”; Notes: Governor of Yehudah during the restoration.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (ne’um-YHWH) – Root: נאם (na’am); Form: Noun + divine name; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic formula indicating divine speech.
- וַחֲזַק (va-ḥazaq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “and be strong”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes urgency.
- יְהֹושֻׁעַ (Yehoshua) – Root: ישׁע (yshaʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehoshua”; Notes: The High Priest leading temple restoration.
- בֶּן־יְהֹוצָדָק (ben-Yehotsadaq) – Root: בן (ben) / צדק (tsedeq); Form: Noun + proper noun in construct; Translation: “son of Yehotsadaq”; Notes: Genealogical identification.
- הַכֹּהֵן (ha-kohen) – Root: כהן (khn); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Refers specifically to the High Priest.
- הַגָּדֹול (ha-gadol) – Root: גדל (gdl); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the great / the high”; Notes: Title: “the High Priest.”
- וַחֲזַק (va-ḥazaq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “and be strong”; Notes: Addressed now to the entire people.
- כָּל־עַם (kol-am) – Root: כל (kol) / עם (ʿam); Form: Noun in construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: The collective community of Yehudah.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “of the land”; Notes: Refers to the land of Yehudah.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (ne’um-YHWH) – Root: נאם (na’am); Form: Noun + divine name; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Reinforces prophetic authority.
- וַעֲשׂוּ (va-’asu) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and do”; Notes: Command to resume rebuilding the Temple.
- כִּי־אֲנִי (ki-ani) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun; Translation: “for I”; Notes: Introduces divine assurance.
- אִתְּכֶם (ittechem) – Root: את (ʾt); Form: Preposition עִם + suffix 2mp; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Covenantal reassurance of YHWH’s presence.
- נְאֻם (ne’um) – Root: נאם (na’am); Form: Noun; Translation: “declares”; Notes: Prophetic declaration formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- צְבָאֹות (tseva’ot) – Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “of Hosts”; Notes: Military title emphasizing divine power.