שַׁאֲל֨וּ מֵיְהוָ֤ה מָטָר֙ בְּעֵ֣ת מַלְקֹ֔ושׁ יְהוָ֖ה עֹשֶׂ֣ה חֲזִיזִ֑ים וּמְטַר־גֶּ֨שֶׁם֙ יִתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם לְאִ֖ישׁ עֵ֥שֶׂב בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Ask from YHWH rain at the time of the late rain; YHWH makes lightning clouds, and rain of showers he will give to them, to each one vegetation in the field.
Morphology
- שַׁאֲלוּ (shaʾalu) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “ask”; Notes: Direct exhortation addressed to the community.
- מֵיְהוָה (me-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition מִן + proper name; Translation: “from YHWH”; Notes: Identifies YHWH as the sole source of provision.
- מָטָר (matar) – Root: מטר (matar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “rain”; Notes: Agricultural necessity dependent on divine gift.
- בְּעֵת (be-ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the time of”; Notes: Specifies the proper season for the request.
- מַלְקוֹשׁ (malqosh) – Root: לקשׁ (laqash); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the late rain”; Notes: Spring rain essential for crop maturity.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (havah); Form: Proper name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes divine agency.
- עֹשֶׂה (ʿoseh) – Root: עשׂה (ʿasah); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “making”; Notes: Describes ongoing creative activity.
- חֲזִיזִים (ḥazizim) – Root: חזז (ḥazaz); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “lightning clouds”; Notes: Storm imagery associated with rain-bearing weather.
- וּמְטַר־גֶּשֶׁם (u-metar-geshem) – Root: מטר (matar); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and rain of showers”; Notes: Intensified expression for abundant rainfall.
- יִתֵּן (yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will give”; Notes: Future-oriented promise following the exhortation.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Beneficiaries of the divine gift.
- לְאִישׁ (le-ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to each one”; Notes: Stresses individual provision.
- עֵשֶׂב (ʿesev) – Root: עשׂב (ʿasav); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “vegetation”; Notes: General term for plant growth sustaining life.
- בַּשָּׂדֶה (ba-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (sadeh); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the field”; Notes: Concludes with the concrete agricultural setting.