מִֽי־מָדַ֨ד בְּשָׁעֳלֹ֜ו מַ֗יִם וְשָׁמַ֨יִם֙ בַּזֶּ֣רֶת תִּכֵּ֔ן וְכָ֥ל בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְשָׁקַ֤ל בַּפֶּ֨לֶס֙ הָרִ֔ים וּגְבָעֹ֖ות בְּמֹאזְנָֽיִם׃
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and measured off the heavens with a span, and enclosed in a measure the dust of the earth, and weighed the mountains in a balance, and the hills in scales?
Morphology
- מִי (mi) – Root: מי; Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question highlighting divine uniqueness.
- מָדַד (madad) – Root: מדד; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has measured”; Notes: Used of God’s immense ability to quantify creation.
- בְּשָׁעֳלֹו (be-shaʿalo) – Root: שעל; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular (hollow of the hand) with 3ms suffix; Translation: “in the hollow of his hand”; Notes: Poetic imagery for divine mastery over the waters.
- מַיִם (mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “waters”; Notes: Symbol of vast and unmeasurable creation.
- וְשָׁמַיִם (ve-shamayim) – Root: שמים; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and the heavens”; Notes: Paired with earth to show totality of creation.
- בַּזֶּרֶת (ba-zeret) – Root: זרת; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “with a span”; Notes: A hand measurement from thumb to little finger—used metaphorically of God’s control.
- תִּכֵּן (tikken) – Root: כון; Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has measured off”; Notes: Refers to setting or defining boundaries precisely.
- וְכָל (ve-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Conjunction + quantifier; Translation: “and all”; Notes: Refers to the completeness of God’s dominion.
- בַּשָּׁלִשׁ (ba-shalish) – Root: שלש; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular (possibly a measuring container); Translation: “in a measure”; Notes: A dry measure, used here for poetic effect of precise control.
- עֲפַר (ʿafar) – Root: עפר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “dust”; Notes: Symbolic of the earth’s matter, in contrast to divine power.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Contrasted with “heavens” to show totality.
- וְשָׁקַל (ve-shakal) – Root: שקל; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and has weighed”; Notes: Continues the imagery of divine precision and authority.
- בַּפֶּלֶס (ba-peles) – Root: פלס; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in a balance”; Notes: A tool for weighing, illustrating judgment and precision.
- הָרִים (harim) – Root: הר; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “mountains”; Notes: Typically symbols of power and majesty, here weighed like dust.
- וּגְבָעֹות (u-gevʿot) – Root: גבעה; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and hills”; Notes: Paired with “mountains” to reinforce the scale of divine authority.
- בְּמֹאזְנָיִם (be-moʾznayim) – Root: אזן; Form: Preposition + dual noun; Translation: “in scales”; Notes: Represents careful evaluation, used figuratively of God’s governance.