וְדִבַּ֨רְתִּי֙ עַל־הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים וְאָנֹכִ֖י חָזֹ֣ון הִרְבֵּ֑יתִי וּבְיַ֥ד הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֲדַמֶּֽה׃
And I have spoken through the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the hand of the prophets I have used parables.
Morphology
- וְדִבַּרְתִּי (ve-dibbarti) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “And I have spoken”; Notes: The intensive stem emphasizes YHWH’s persistent and deliberate communication through His prophets.
- עַל־הַנְּבִיאִים (ʿal-ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Preposition עַל + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “through the prophets”; Notes: The preposition עַל here conveys agency—YHWH speaks “by means of” the prophets, His chosen messengers.
- וְאָנֹכִי (ve-anokhi) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Conjunction וְ + independent pronoun 1cs; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Emphatic pronoun underscoring divine initiative—YHWH Himself is the source of revelation, not human imagination.
- חָזֹון (ḥazon) – Root: חזה (ḥazah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “vision”; Notes: Refers to prophetic revelations granted by God; a key mode of communication in the prophetic tradition.
- הִרְבֵּיתִי (hirbeiti) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have multiplied”; Notes: The causative form indicates divine abundance—YHWH increased prophetic revelation to guide His people.
- וּבְיַד (u-ve-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “and by the hand of”; Notes: Idiomatic expression meaning “through the agency of”; denotes the prophets as instruments of divine communication.
- הַנְּבִיאִים (ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Refers collectively to those inspired by YHWH to deliver His messages to Yisraʾel.
- אֲדַמֶּה (ʾadammeh) – Root: דמה (damah); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I have used parables” or “I have given comparisons”; Notes: Means “to liken” or “to speak in imagery”; YHWH reveals truth through metaphors and prophetic symbolism to instruct His people.