וַתְּהִ֨י לָכֶ֜ם חָז֣וּת הַכֹּ֗ל כְּדִבְרֵי֮ הַסֵּ֣פֶר הֶֽחָתוּם֒ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִתְּנ֣וּ אֹתֹ֗ו אֶל־יֹודֵ֥עַ הַסֵּ֛פֶר לֵאמֹ֖ר קְרָ֣א נָא־זֶ֑ה וְאָמַר֙ לֹ֣א אוּכַ֔ל כִּ֥י חָת֖וּם הוּא׃
And the entire vision has become to you like the words of a sealed scroll which they give to one who knows writing, saying, “Please read this,” and he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
Morphology
- וַתְּהִ֨י (va-tehi) – Root: היה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it became”; Notes: Refers to the transformation of the vision into something inaccessible.
- לָכֶ֜ם (lakhem) – Root: לְ + אַתֶּם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: The addressed audience, likely the people of Yisraʾel.
- חָז֣וּת (ḥazut) – Root: חזז; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “vision”; Notes: Refers to prophetic revelation or divine insight.
- הַכֹּ֗ל (ha-kol) – Root: כל; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the whole”; Notes: Refers to the entirety of the vision being discussed.
- כְּדִבְרֵי (ke-divrei) – Root: דבר; Form: Preposition כְ + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “like the words of”; Notes: Introduces a comparison.
- הַסֵּ֣פֶר (ha-sefer) – Root: ספר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the scroll”; Notes: A written document symbolizing revelation.
- הֶֽחָתוּם (he-ḥatum) – Root: חתם; Form: Definite article + passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “that is sealed”; Notes: Implies the content is inaccessible or hidden.
- אֲשֶֽׁר־יִתְּנ֣וּ (asher-yittnu) – Root: נתן; Form: Relative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “which they give”; Notes: Describes the action performed on the scroll.
- אֹתֹ֗ו (oto) – Root: את; Form: Definite direct object marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the sealed scroll.
- אֶל־יֹודֵ֥עַ (el-yodeaʿ) – Root: ידע; Form: Preposition + Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “to one who knows”; Notes: Refers to a literate person.
- הַסֵּ֛פֶר (ha-sefer) – Root: ספר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “writing” or “scroll”; Notes: Apposition to the previous participle, denoting literacy.
- לֵאמֹ֖ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- קְרָ֣א (qera) – Root: קרא; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “read”; Notes: Direct command to read aloud.
- נָא־ (na) – Root: Interjection; Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Expresses polite request.
- זֶ֑ה (zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the sealed scroll.
- וְאָמַר֙ (ve-amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he says”; Notes: Marks the response of the literate person.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies the ability to carry out the request.
- אוּכַ֔ל (ukhal) – Root: יכל; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I can”; Notes: Here negated to mean “I cannot.”
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for inability.
- חָת֖וּם (ḥatum) – Root: חתם; Form: Passive participle masculine singular; Translation: “sealed”; Notes: Indicates the scroll is closed and inaccessible.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “it is”; Notes: Refers back to the scroll.