וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֵלַ֔י קַח־לְךָ֖ גִּלָּיֹ֣ון גָּדֹ֑ול וּכְתֹ֤ב עָלָיו֙ בְּחֶ֣רֶט אֱנֹ֔ושׁ לְמַהֵ֥ר שָׁלָ֖ל חָ֥שׁ בַּֽז׃
And YHWH said to me, “Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it with a human stylus: ‘To Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz.’
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative transition marking divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker giving prophetic instruction to Yeshaʿyahu.
- אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of YHWH’s command.
- קַח־לְךָ (qaḥ-lekha) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Take for yourself”; Notes: Command directed to the prophet.
- גִּלָּיֹ֣ון (gillayon) – Root: גלה (galah or derived noun); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “tablet” or “scroll”; Notes: Writing surface, possibly a large placard for public display.
- גָּדֹ֑ול (gadol) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “large”; Notes: Describes the size of the writing surface for visibility.
- וּכְתֹ֤ב (u-khetov) – Root: כתב (katav); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “and write”; Notes: Continuation of the directive to inscribe a message.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “on it”; Notes: Refers to the tablet.
- בְּחֶרֶט (be-ḥeret) – Root: חרט (ḥeret); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with a stylus”; Notes: Instrument for engraving or inscribing text.
- אֱנֹשׁ (ʾenosh) – Root: אנש (ʾenosh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “human”; Notes: Describes the stylus as ordinary or commonly used by men.
- לְמַהֵ֥ר (le-maher) – Root: מהר (mahar); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to hasten”; Notes: Begins the prophetic name phrase.
- שָׁלָ֖ל (shalal) – Root: שלל (shalal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “spoil”; Notes: Conveys the idea of loot or plunder.
- חָ֥שׁ (ḥash) – Root: חוש (ḥush); Form: Verb (possibly imperative or infinitive); Translation: “hasten”; Notes: Paired with “baz” to express speed and urgency.
- בַּֽז (baz) – Root: בזז (bazaz); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “booty”; Notes: Final element of the symbolic name Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz, meaning “Hasten the spoil, hurry the plunder.”