אִם־יִסָּתֵ֨ר אִ֧ישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֛ים וַאֲנִ֥י לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הֲלֹ֨וא אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֧יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲנִ֥י מָלֵ֖א נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
Can a man hide in secret places so that I do not see him?” declares YHWH. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- אִם־ (ʾim) – Root: אם; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question with implied negation.
- יִסָּתֵ֨ר (yissātēr) – Root: סתר; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he hides (himself)”; Notes: Nifal used for reflexive or passive action; here, a rhetorical conditional clause.
- אִ֧ישׁ (ʾīsh) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of the conditional clause.
- בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֛ים (ba-mistārīm) – Root: סתר; Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “in the secret places”; Notes: Indicates hidden or concealed locations.
- וַאֲנִ֥י (va-ʾănī) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Conjunction introducing the main clause.
- לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶ֖נּוּ (lo-ʾerʾennū) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “do not see him”; Notes: Rhetorical; suffix refers to the man hiding.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun construct + proper name; Translation: “declaration of YHWH”; Notes: Common prophetic formula.
- הֲלֹ֨וא (halō) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle + negative particle; Translation: “do I not…?”; Notes: Rhetorical question expecting affirmative answer.
- אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֧יִם (ʾet-ha-shāmayim) – Root: שׁמים; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Accusative object of the verb fill.
- וְאֶת־הָאָ֛רֶץ (ve-ʾet-ha-ʾāretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “and the earth”; Notes: Parallel object with hashamayim.
- אֲנִ֥י (ʾănī) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of the verb malēʾ.
- מָלֵ֖א (mālēʾ) – Root: מלא; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “fill”; Notes: Expresses the total presence of YHWH throughout creation.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun construct + proper name; Translation: “declaration of YHWH”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis and solemnity.