כֹּֽה־אָמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה קְדֹ֥ושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְיֹצְרֹ֑ו הָאֹתִיֹּ֣ות שְׁאָל֔וּנִי עַל־בָּנַ֛י וְעַל־פֹּ֥עַל יָדַ֖י תְּצַוֻּֽנִי׃
Thus said YHWH, the Holy One of Yisraʾel and his Maker: “Ask Me concerning the things to come, concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands, will you command Me?
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: כה; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces prophetic speech or declaration.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Past declarative verb introducing direct speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- קְדֹושׁ (qedosh) – Root: קדשׁ; Form: Adjective masculine singular construct; Translation: “Holy One of”; Notes: Divine title emphasizing YHWH’s purity and separateness.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שׂרה + אל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people.
- וְיֹצְרֹו (ve-yotsero) – Root: יצר; Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal participle masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his Maker”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s role in forming Yisraʾel.
- הָאֹתִיֹּות (ha-otiyyot) – Root: אות; Form: Definite article + noun feminine plural; Translation: “the things to come”; Notes: Can refer to signs or future events; contextually, likely future decrees or events.
- שְׁאָל֔וּנִי (sheʾaluni) – Root: שׁאל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they asked Me”; Notes: May carry an imperative or sarcastic tone here (“Go ahead, ask Me…”).
- עַל־בָּנַי (ʿal-banai) – Root: בן; Form: Preposition עַל + noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “concerning My sons”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel.
- וְעַל־פֹּעַל (ve-ʿal-poʿal) – Root: פעל; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַל + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “and concerning the work of”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s deeds or creations.
- יָדַי (yaday) – Root: יד; Form: Noun feminine dual with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My hands”; Notes: Symbol of power and creation.
- תְּצַוֻּנִי (tetsavvuni) – Root: צוה; Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “will you command Me?”; Notes: Rhetorical and accusatory—challenges the arrogance of commanding God.