Isaiah 40:8

יָבֵ֥שׁ חָצִ֖יר נָ֣בֵֽל צִ֑יץ וּדְבַר־אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יָק֥וּם לְעֹולָֽם׃ ס

Grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Morphology

1. יָבֵשׁ (yavesh) – Root: יבש; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “withers”; Notes: Describes the perishability of nature, here referring to “grass.”
2. חָצִיר (ḥatsir) – Root: חציר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “grass”; Notes: Symbol of human frailty and temporariness.
3. נָבֵל (navel) – Root: נבל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “fades”; Notes: Refers to the “flower” as another image of impermanence.
4. צִיץ (tsits) – Root: צוץ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “flower”; Notes: A poetic image of beauty and fragility.
5. וּדְבַר (u-devar) – Root: דבר; Form: Conjunction + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “but the word of”; Notes: Contrasts the fading creation with enduring divine speech.
6. אֱלֹהֵינוּ (ʾEloheinu) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Personal possession of the divine name, affirming covenant relationship.
7. יָקוּם (yaqum) – Root: קום; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall stand”; Notes: Expresses permanence, stability, and certainty of God’s word.
8. לְעֹולָם (le-ʿolam) – Root: עלם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “forever”; Notes: Timeless duration; contrasts with the temporality of grass and flower.