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וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנֹ֑ות וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה וַתִּדְלֶ֗נָה וַתְּמַלֶּ֙אנָה֙ אֶת־הָ֣רְהָטִ֔ים לְהַשְׁקֹ֖ות צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶֽן׃ 17  וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָרֹעִ֖ים וַיְגָרְשׁ֑וּם וַיָּ֤קָם מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּ֣ושִׁעָ֔ן וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־צֹאנָֽם׃ 18 וַתָּבֹ֕אנָה אֶל־רְעוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִיהֶ֑ן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַדּ֛וּעַ מִהַרְתֶּ֥ן בֹּ֖א הַיֹּֽום׃ 19 וַתֹּאמַ֕רְןָ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י הִצִּילָ֖נוּ מִיַּ֣ד הָרֹעִ֑ים וְגַם־דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙ לָ֔נוּ וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַצֹּֽאן׃ 20 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֶל־בְּנֹתָ֖יו וְאַיֹּ֑ו לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ עֲזַבְתֶּ֣ן אֶת־הָאִ֔ישׁ קִרְאֶ֥ן לֹ֖ו וְיֹ֥אכַל לָֽחֶם׃ 21 וַיֹּ֥ואֶל מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶת־הָאִ֑ישׁ וַיִּתֵּ֛ן אֶת־צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתֹּ֖ו לְמֹשֶֽׁה׃ 22 וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמֹ֖ו גֵּרְשֹׁ֑ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר גֵּ֣ר הָיִ֔יתִי בְּאֶ֖רֶץ נָכְרִיָּֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 16

מדין  name (of place): Midian

דלה  verb: “draw [water]” (BDB, 194)

רהט  “trough” (BDB, 923) 

שׁקה  verb (Hiphil infinitive construct): “water, cause to drink” 

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The first clause, לְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן שֶׁ֣בַע בָּנֹ֑ות, is verbless and the lamed preposition is functioning as a possessive.
• The word, צֹ֥אן, is a collective singular.

Vocabulary

Verse 17

גרשׁ  verb: “drive out” (BDB, 176)

ישׁע  verb: “help”

Verse 18

רעואל  name: “Reuel”

Verse 19

נצל  verb: “deliver” 

Verse 20

אי  interrogative (with 3ms suffix): “where” (BDB, 32)

עזב  verb: “leave, forsake” 

Verse 21

יואל  verb (Hiphil): “be willing” (BDB, 383)

צפרה name: “Zipporah”

Verse 22

גרשׁם  name: “Gershom”

נכרי  “foreign” (BDB, 648)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 17

• Notice the gender shift from feminine verbs to masculine plural suffixes, and then back again in verse 8.

Verse 18

• Other places in Exodus, Reuel is named Jethro (3:1; 4:18; 18:1-12)

Verse 19

• The repetition of routes, as in דָּלֹ֤ה דָלָה֙, is a Hebrew literature form.

Verse 20

• The single unit, וְאַיֹּו, is a complete clause—“where is he?”
• The verb, קִרְאֶן, is a feminine imperative/command form.

Verse 21

• The word, את, is not used as the indirect object in this clause, but as the preposition “with.”
• In the phrase, צִפֹּרָ֥ה בִתֹּ֖ו, the second word—“his daughter”—is in apposition to her name.

Verse 22

• This verse follows the standard naming formula.

וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים רָדְפ֤וּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן עַ֖ל הַֽמַּעְבְּרֹ֑ות וְהַשַּׁ֣עַר סָגָ֔רוּ אַחֲרֵ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָצְא֥וּ הָרֹדְפִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ 8 וְהֵ֖מָּה טֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁכָּב֑וּן וְהִ֛יא עָלְתָ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ 9 וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־נָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכִֽי־נָפְלָ֤ה אֵֽימַתְכֶם֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְכִ֥י נָמֹ֛גוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 7

רדף  verb: “pursue” 

מעבר  noun: “ford”

שׁער “gate”
סגר verb: “shut”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Verse seven begins with a disjunctive waw (waw + non-verb)
• The preposition phrase, אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙, combines the preposition “after” with the inseparable 3mpl pronominal suffix, “them.”
• The relative marker, כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר, is used as a temporal marker, “when.”

Vocabulary

Verse 8

טרם  adverb: “not yet”

גג noun: “roof” (BDB, 150)

Verse 9

אימה  noun: “terror, dread” (BDB, 33)

נוג  verb: “melt” (BDB, 556)  

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 8

• The verb in the second clause, עָלְתָ֥ה, demonstrates scriptio plena.  This term means “written fully” in reference to the use of a long vowel with a mater (also known as “historically long vowels”).  Other examples include sere-yod, hireq-yod, holem-waw, and sureq.  Conversely, scriptio defectiva, or defective spelling, lacks the mater.

Verse 9

• The verb “to give” requires an object and an indirect object, נָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ.  One gives someone (object) something (indirect object).  The lamed distinguishes the indirect object (the what) from the direct object (the who) marked with the direct object marker.
• Notice the series of three כִּי “because” clauses.

  וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל חַנָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר

 עָלַ֤ץ לִבִּי֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה

 רָ֥מָה קַרְנִ֖י בַּֽיהוָ֑ה

 רָ֤חַב פִּי֙ עַל־אֹ֣ויְבַ֔י

 כִּ֥י שָׂמַ֖חְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃

 2 אֵין־קָדֹ֥ושׁ כַּיהוָ֖ה

 כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ

 וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

 3 אַל־תַּרְבּ֤וּ תְדַבְּרוּ֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה

 יֵצֵ֥א עָתָ֖ק מִפִּיכֶ֑ם

 כִּ֣י אֵ֤ל דֵּעֹות֙ יְהוָ֔ה

 [וְלֹא] נִתְכְּנ֖וּ עֲלִלֹֽות׃

 4 קֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים

 וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל׃

 5 שְׂבֵעִ֤ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ

 וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ

 עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה

 וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

עלץ  verb: “rejoice” (BDB, 763) 

קרן  noun: “horn”

רחב  verb: “to grow wide” (BDB, 931)    

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Beginning with the second line, the literary form shifts from prose to poetry.  The text has been divided into cola to help the reader distinguish each poetic line.
• The expression “my mouth grows wide” is idiomatic for bold, verbose speaking.
• Notice the long forms (cf. plene spelling – Joshua 2:8) in the poetic section: אֹ֣ויְבַ֔י (verse 1), קָדֹ֥ושׁ (verse 2)

Vocabulary

Verse 2

בלת  “except” (BDB, 116)

צור  “rock” 

Verse 3

עתק  “arrogant” (BDB, 801)

תכן  verb: “estimated, weighed” (BDB, 1067)

עלילה  “deed” (BDB, 760)

Verse 4

קשת  noun: “bow” 

חת  “shattered” (BDB, 369)

כשל  “ones who stumble, feeble”

אזר  verb: “gird on” (BDB, 25) 

Verse 5

שכע  “ones who are full” (BDB, 960) 

שכר  verb: “hire out” (BDB, 968)

רעב  “hungry” (BDB, 944)

עקר  “barren” (BDB, 785)   

אמלל  verb: “grow feeble” (BDB, 51) 

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Each of the three lines contains a divine comparison in an A-B-A pattern.

Verse 3

• The repetition of a word, גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה, demonstrates intensification thus “very proud.”  Therefore in Isaiah 6 the threefold exclamation, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” indicates the superlative degree—“Most Holy.”
• The Kethib consonants could be read as waw conjunctive plus negative.  However, the Qere [וְלֹ֥ו] suggests the proper reading as waw, lamed preposition, and 3ms pronominal suffix.  In this case the pronunciation would not vary.
• The verbless clause, אֵ֤ל דֵּעֹות֙ יְהוָ֔ה, follows the form P-S (Predicate-Subject).

 וַיִּשָּׂא־לֹ֣וט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י ׀ שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר׃ ¹¹ וַיִּבְחַר־לֹ֣ו לֹ֗וט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע לֹ֖וט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו׃ ¹² אַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְלֹ֗וט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם׃ ¹³ וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם רָעִ֖ים וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַיהוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃

Vocabulary

Verse 10

ככר   noun: “round (region), plain”

ירדן   “Jordan (river)”

משׁקה   “well irrigated” (BDB, 1052)

שׁחת   verb: “destroy”

גן   noun: “garden” (BDB, 171)

צער   name (of place): Zoar  

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The word, לִפְנֵ֣י, is used as a temporal marker—“before.”
• The reader is invited to understand these three destructive events as analogous (שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם).  Notice the placement of the “future” destruction of Egypt (i.e. the Exodus) with the Genesis destruction events. 

Verse 11

פרד   verb (Niphal): “divide” (BDB, 825)

Verse 12

כנען   name (of place/people): “Canaan”

Verse 13

חטא   noun: “sinner” (BDB, 308)     

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 11

• The idiom, אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו, is very common in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 1:16).  Since Hebrew does not have a reciprocal pronoun (e.g. “each other”), this phrase functions as a reciprocal relationship.

Verse 12

• The preposition, עַד, can express a temporal (Genesis 3:9 “until, before”), degree (2 Kings 24:20 “to the point”), terminative (1 Samuel 9:9 “as far as”), Inclusive/conjunctive (1 Samuel 5:9 “both…and”), emphatic (Exodus 14:28 “even”), or in this case locative (Deuteronomy 4:11 “near, by”).

Verse 13

• Marked by a disjunctive waw, this background (or parenthetical) remark is a verbless clause.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרַי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ קַ֥ח בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְאָזְנֶ֥יךָ שְׁמָֽע׃ 11 וְלֵ֨ךְ בֹּ֤א אֶל־הַגֹּולָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֑ה אִֽם־יִשְׁמְע֖וּ וְאִם־יֶחְדָּֽלוּ׃ 12 וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֣נִי ר֔וּחַ וָאֶשְׁמַ֣ע אַחֲרַ֔י קֹ֖ול רַ֣עַשׁ גָּדֹ֑ול בָּר֥וּךְ כְּבֹוד־יְהוָ֖ה מִמְּקֹומֹֽו׃ 13 וְקֹ֣ול ׀ כַּנְפֵ֣י הַחַיֹּ֗ות מַשִּׁיקֹות֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה אֶל־אֲחֹותָ֔הּ וְקֹ֥ול הָאֹופַנִּ֖ים לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם וְקֹ֖ול רַ֥עַשׁ גָּדֹֽול׃ 14 וְר֥וּחַ נְשָׂאַ֖תְנִי וַתִּקָּחֵ֑נִי וָאֵלֵ֥ךְ מַר֙ בַּחֲמַ֣ת רוּחִ֔י וְיַד־יְהוָ֥ה עָלַ֖י חָזָֽקָה׃ 15 וָאָבֹ֨וא אֶל־הַגֹּולָ֜ה תֵּ֣ל אָ֠בִיב הַיֹּשְׁבִ֤ים אֶֽל־נְהַר־כְּבָר֙ [וָֽאֵשֵׁ֔ב] הֵ֖מָּה יֹושְׁבִ֣ים שָׁ֑ם וָאֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁ֛ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים מַשְׁמִ֥ים בְּתֹוכָֽם׃ 16 וַיְהִ֕י מִקְצֵ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים   פ

Vocabulary

Verse 11

גולה   noun: “exiles” (BDB, 163) 

חדל verb: “cease, desist”  

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• After the address/quotation formula, the entire object phrase,אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרַי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ, is fronted.  The sentence typology is O-V-M (O=object; V=verb; M=modifier).
• The waw is connecting the two clauses, not just the similar prepositional phrases בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְאָזְנֶ֥יךָ.

• Even though the preposition beth is used in each phrase, each should be translated differently.  In English, the proper idiom for the first would be “take all my words into your heart;” whereas the second would be “listen with your ears.”
• The noun, גולה, is a collective singular. (In English it might be referred to as a collective noun or discretionary plural.  The difference between count nouns and mass nouns also is relevant to discussions of translating nouns into English.)
• The ubiquitous repetition in the book of Ezekiel with regards to sending and speaking is remarkable (see verse 11: וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם).  There is probably a rhetorical/theological rationale behind these echo patterns.  Comments?
• The sequencing of אִם … אִם can be understood as “whether … or” generally found with a negative comment.  See Ezekiel 2:5.

Verse 12

רעשׁ  noun: “earthquake” (BDB, 950)

ברוך  “blessed be”

Verse 13

כנפי  noun (construct plural): “wings”

מַשִּׁיקֹות  participle (Hiphil fpl): “touching” (BDB, 676)

אופן  noun: “wheel” (BDB, 66)

לְעֻמָּתָם  noun (suffix 3mpl): “close by, side by side” (BDB, 769) [15x in Ezekiel (1:20, 21; 3:8, 13; 10:19; 11:22)]

Verse 14

מַר  “bitter” (BDB, 600)

חמה  “rage, heat”

Verse 15

תֵּל אָבִיב  name (of place): “Tel-Abib”

נְהַר־כְּבָר  name: “Chebar River”

משׁמים  participle (Hiphil mpl): “appalled, horrified” (BDB, 1031) [cf. similar idiom in Ezra 9:3  משׁומם]

Verse 16

קצה  “end”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 13

• The verb for the first clause of verse 13 is אֶשְׁמַע from verse 12.

Verse 15

• Qere [וָאֲשֶׁר]: Internal support for the Qere would be either letter confusion (GKC Alphabet Chart), possibly in the Paleo-Hebrew script, between beth b   and resh r   or dittography with the first word of the following clause.  The Qere is supported externally by the Vorlage (i.e. parent text) of the LXX:  περιηλθον τους κατοικουντας επι του ποταμου του Χοβαρ τους οντας εκει.

Verse 16

• The Leningradensis Codex has a paragraph break in the middle of verse 16.