Isaiah 38:8

הִנְנִ֣י מֵשִׁ֣יב אֶת־צֵ֣ל הַֽמַּעֲלֹ֡ות אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָרְדָה֩ בְמַעֲלֹ֨ות אָחָ֥ז בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲלֹ֑ות וַתָּ֤שָׁב הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲלֹ֔ות בַּֽמַּעֲלֹ֖ות אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָרָֽדָה׃ ס

Behold, I am bringing back the shadow of the steps which had gone down on the steps of Aḥaz with the sun, backward ten steps.” And the sun returned ten steps on the steps which it had gone down.

 

Morphology

  1. הִנְנִ֣י (hineni) – Root: הֵן (hen); Form: Interjection + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Behold, I”; Notes: Emphatic self-reference, introducing divine action.
  2. מֵשִׁ֣יב (meshiv) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “bringing back”; Notes: Causative form indicating divine reversal.
  3. אֶת־צֵ֣ל (et-tsel) – Root: צלל (tsel); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the shadow”; Notes: The object being reversed by YHWH.
  4. הַֽמַּעֲלֹ֡ות (ha-maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “of the steps”; Notes: Refers to a physical or metaphorical staircase or sundial.
  5. אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Form: Pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause describing the shadow’s descent.
  6. יָרְדָה֩ (yaredah) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “had gone down”; Notes: Describes the sun’s movement prior to reversal.
  7. בְמַעֲלֹ֨ות (be-maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural; Translation: “on the steps”; Notes: Indicates location of the shadow.
  8. אָחָ֥ז (Aḥaz) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “Aḥaz”; Notes: Refers to the former king; possibly a specific sundial or stairway attributed to him.
  9. בַּשֶּׁ֛מֶשׁ (ba-shemesh) – Root: שׁמש (shemesh); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “with the sun” / “by the sun”; Notes: Instrumental or causal phrase.
  10. אֲחֹרַנִּ֖ית (aḥoranit) – Root: אחור (aḥor); Form: Adverb feminine; Translation: “backward”; Notes: Describes direction of the shadow’s return.
  11. עֶ֣שֶׂר (ʿeser) – Root: עשר (ʿeser); Form: Cardinal number feminine; Translation: “ten”; Notes: Specifies number of steps reversed.
  12. מַעֲלֹ֑ות (maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “steps”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of miraculous reversal.
  13. וַתָּ֤שָׁב (va-tashav) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it returned”; Notes: Refers to the sun’s reversal.
  14. הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ (ha-shemesh) – Root: שׁמש (shemesh); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the sun”; Notes: The subject of the verb “returned.”
  15. עֶ֣שֶׂר מַעֲלֹ֔ות (ʿeser maʿalot) – Root: עשר (ʿeser), עלה (ʿalah); Form: Cardinal number + noun plural; Translation: “ten steps”; Notes: Specifies the amount reversed.
  16. בַּֽמַּעֲלֹ֖ות (ba-maʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Preposition + definite plural noun; Translation: “on the steps”; Notes: Location of the sign.
  17. אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Form: Pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Connects the final clause.
  18. יָרָֽדָה (yaradah) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it had gone down”; Notes: Repeats the earlier verb for closure and emphasis.

 

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