זִכְר֥וּ רִאשֹׁנֹ֖ות מֵעֹולָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֥י אֵל֙ וְאֵ֣ין עֹ֔וד אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְאֶ֥פֶס כָּמֹֽונִי׃
Remember the former things from ancient time, for I am God and there is no other; GOD, and none like me.
Morphology
- זִכְרוּ (zikru) – Root: זכר; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “remember”; Notes: A command to recall past divine acts or declarations.
- רִאשֹׁנֹות (riʾshonot) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “former things”; Notes: Refers to events or decrees from the beginning of time.
- מֵעֹולָם (me-ʿolam) – Root: עולם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from ancient time”; Notes: Indicates eternity past or remote antiquity.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason for the command to remember.
- אָנֹכִי (anokhi) – Root: –; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic form asserting divine identity.
- אֵל (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “El” (God); Notes: Title of divinity highlighting power.
- וְאֵין (ve-ein) – Root: אין; Form: Conjunction + particle of non-existence; Translation: “and there is no”; Notes: Denies the existence of any rival deity.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “other” or “besides”; Notes: Reinforces exclusivity of YHWH.
- אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural (plural of majesty); Translation: “Elohim”; Notes: Title for God, affirming divine status.
- וְאֶפֶס (ve-efes) – Root: אפס; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and none” or “and nothing”; Notes: Absolute negation of any comparable being.
- כָּמֹונִי (kamoni) – Root: כמו; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “like me”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s uniqueness and incomparability.