שְׁמַ֤ע אֵלַי֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מְקֹרָאִ֑י אֲנִי־הוּא֙ אֲנִ֣י רִאשֹׁ֔ון אַ֖ף אֲנִ֥י אַחֲרֹֽון׃
Hear Me, Yaʿaqov, and Yisraʾel My called one: I am He, I am the first, indeed I am the last.
Morphology
- שְׁמַע (shemaʿ) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Hear”; Notes: A direct divine summons to listen attentively.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to Me”; Notes: The object of the command to hear.
- יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Refers to the patriarch and representative of the people of Yisraʾel.
- וְיִשְׂרָאֵל (ve-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Yisraʾel”; Notes: Parallel to Yaʿaqov, emphasizing covenant identity.
- מְקֹרָאִי (mekoraʾi) – Root: קרא; Form: Pual participle masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My called one”; Notes: Passive participle—those summoned or chosen by God.
- אֲנִי־הוּא (ani hu) – Root: היה; Form: Independent pronouns; Translation: “I am He”; Notes: A solemn self-identification formula emphasizing divine self-existence.
- אֲנִי (ani) – Root: אני; Form: Independent pronoun; Translation: “I”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis and poetic balance.
- רִאשֹׁון (rishon) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “first”; Notes: Declares God’s primacy in time and authority.
- אַף (af) – Root: אף; Form: Adverb/conjunction; Translation: “indeed” or “also”; Notes: Adds emphasis to the following phrase.
- אֲנִי (ani) – Root: אני; Form: Independent pronoun; Translation: “I”; Notes: Repeated for strong rhetorical emphasis.
- אַחֲרֹון (aḥaron) – Root: אחר; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “last”; Notes: Paired with “first” to declare God’s eternal nature.