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וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ 2 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַ֞ר אֲדֹנָ֧י יְהוִ֛ה לְאַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל קֵ֑ץ בָּ֣א הַקֵּ֔ץ עַל־[אַרְבַּעַת] כַּנְפ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ 3 עַתָּה֙ הַקֵּ֣ץ עָלַ֔יִךְ וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י אַפִּי֙ בָּ֔ךְ וּשְׁפַטְתִּ֖יךְ כִּדְרָכָ֑יִךְ וְנָתַתִּ֣י עָלַ֔יִךְ אֵ֖ת כָּל־תּוֹעֲבֹתָֽיִךְ׃ 4 וְלֹא־תָח֥וֹס עֵינִ֛י עָלַ֖יִךְ וְלֹ֣א אֶחְמ֑וֹל כִּ֣י דְרָכַ֜יִךְ עָלַ֣יִךְ אֶתֵּ֗ן וְתוֹעֲבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּתוֹכֵ֣ךְ תִּֽהְיֶ֔יןָ וִידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 1 & 2

            קץ  noun: “end”

            כנף  noun: “wing, extremity”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The first verse is the typical Ezekielian formula to initiate a divine revelatory word or sign act (cf. 3:16, 6:1, 7:1, 11:14, 12:1, 17, 21, 26, 13:1, 14:2, 12, 15:1,16:1, 17:1, 11;,18:1, 20:2, 21:1, 6, 13, 23, 22:1, 17, 23, 23:1, 24:15, 25:1, 27:1, 28:1, 11, 20, 30:1, 33:1, 23, 34:1, 35:1, 36:16, 37:15, 38:1; also in Jeremiah 1:4, 11, 2:1, 13:8, 16:1, 24:4; Zechariah 4:8, 6:9).
• The lamed, לְאַדְמַ֥ת, is adversative, “against the land of.”
• The message is initiated by a one word condemnation: קֵץ “end.”  The phrase following is asyndetically connected to this pronouncement as explanative of this degree (epexegetical).
• Qere: אַרְבַּ֖ע.  The Kethib witnesses a construct form; whereas, the Qere is simply an adjective.

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            תועבה  noun (fs construct with 2fs suffix): “abomination”

Verse 4

            חוס  verb: “pity, look upon with compassion” (BDB, 299)

            חמל  verb: “spare, have compassion upon” (BDB, 328)

            תהיין  verb (Qal imperfect 3fpl from היה)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 3

• The phrase, הַקֵּ֣ץ עָלַ֔יִךְ, is a verbless clause of the typology, S-P.
• The word אף literally refers to one’s nose or nostril.  However, in light of several  idioms that reference the nose as the indicator of anger [to be patient or not easily angered is to be  אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם “long of nose” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15, 103:8, 145:8; Proverb 14:29; 16:32; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Nahum 1:3); to burn with anger is חֲר֥וֹן אַף “burning of nose” (Genesis 30:2, 39:19; Exodus 4:14, 22:23, 32:10, 32:11); to be prone to anger is בַּ֣עַל אָ֑ף “owner of nose” (Proverbs 22:24)], it figuratively can mean “anger.”

Verse 4

• Be careful not to conflate the vowel and accent of the last syllable of עֵינִ֛י.  The final vowel is not a sere, but a hireq with the disjunctive accent tebir.  Hence, it is the subject of the clause.

Dear friends,

Many of you know that I have been contemplating a decision for some time now about where to pursue further graduate study. For those who have not yet heard, my wife and I will be moving to the Chicago area to attend the department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures [NELC] at the University of Chicago to study Northwest Semitics with Dr. Dennis Pardee, et al. We thank you for your prayers, best wishes and encouragement!

וְאַחַ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ לִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ 2 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃ 3 וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ נֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֡א דֶּרֶךְ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֜ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְנִזְבְּחָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ פֶּ֨ן־יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ בַּדֶּ֖בֶר א֥וֹ בֶחָֽרֶב׃ 4 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָ֚מָּה מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ 5 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה הֵן־רַבִּ֥ים עַתָּ֖ה עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם מִסִּבְלֹתָֽם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            חגג  verb: “keep a pilgrim feast” (BDB, 290)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Clause initial, וְאַחַ֗ר “now later” (“afterwards”), marks a clear temporal break from the last section.
• The formula, כֹּה אָמַר, is used to relay speech of one individual through a mediator to another (cf. Genesis 32:5; 45:9).  The prophetic speech pattern of relaying God’s word to the world thusly follows this formula.  The ubiquitous pattern, כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, is found 493 times in the MT and first in Exodus 4:22.
• The construct phrase, אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, is not the beginning of the quotation, but in apposition to the divine name.
• The quotation rather begins with the Piel imperative (*Piel imperfect, יְשַׁלַּח, minus the preformative), שַׁלַּח֙ “send out.”
• The final clause connector, waw, should be understood as subordinating “that.”

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            קרא  verb (Niphal perfect 3ms): “encounter, met”

            פגע  verb: “fall upon” (BDB, 803)

            דֶּבֶר  noun: “plague” (BDB, 184)

Verse 4

            פרע  verb (Hiphil imperfect 2mpl): “refrain” (BDB, 828)

            סבלה  noun: “burden” (BDB, 688)

Verse 5

            סבלה  noun: “burden” (BDB, 688)

            שׁבת  verb (Hiphil perfect 2mpl): “cease, stop”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Interrogative verbless clause: מִ֤י יְהוָה֙.
• The verbal construction of שׁמע plus beth preposition means “to obey.”
• The asyndetic clause, לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה, is epexegetical.  In English, one might use the explanative clause connector, “because.”
• Notice the chiastic construction being used emphatically: לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ “I do not know the Lord neither Israel will I sent out.”

Verse 3

• The subject of נִקְרָ֣א is אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים.
• The form and function of נֵ֣לֲכָה  is cohortative, “let us go.”  As in verse two, this clause is asyndetic and probably explanative/epexegetical.

Verse 4

• The phrase, מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן, is a vocative.
• The final clause is an emphatic command, לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם “Go (back) to your labors.”

Verse 5

• The speech formula, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה, is repeated even though the speaker and addressee have not changed.
• The enclitic, הֵן, indicates some type of exclamation.
• To whom is the construct phrase, עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ, referring?  Israelites or Egyptians?

וַיְהִ֗י כְּב֨וֹא אֲר֤וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיָּרִ֥עוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תְּרוּעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֑ה וַתֵּהֹ֖ם הָאָֽרֶץ׃ 6 וַיִּשְׁמְע֤וּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַתְּרוּעָ֔ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֶ֠ה ק֣וֹל הַתְּרוּעָ֧ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֛ה הַזֹּ֖את בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה הָעִבְרִ֑ים וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֚י אֲר֣וֹן יְהוָ֔ה בָּ֖א אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶֽה׃ 7 וַיִּֽרְאוּ֙ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ בָּ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֑ה וַיֹּאמְרוּ֙ א֣וֹי לָ֔נוּ כִּ֣י לֹ֥א הָיְתָ֛ה כָּזֹ֖את אֶתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם׃ 8 א֣וֹי לָ֔נוּ מִ֣י יַצִּילֵ֔נוּ מִיַּ֛ד הָאֱלֹהִ֥ים הָאַדִּירִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה אֵ֧לֶּה הֵ֣ם הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַמַּכִּ֧ים אֶת־מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּכָל־מַכָּ֖ה בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ 9 הִֽתְחַזְּק֞וּ וִֽהְי֤וּ לַֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּ֚ן תַּעַבְד֣וּ לָעִבְרִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָבְד֖וּ לָכֶ֑ם וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם לַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וְנִלְחַמְתֶּֽם׃ 10 וַיִּלָּחֲמ֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּנָּ֤גֶף יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְאֹהָלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֥י הַמַּכָּ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד וַיִּפֹּל֙ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אֶ֖לֶף רַגְלִֽי׃ 11 וַאֲר֥וֹן אֱלֹהִ֖ים נִלְקָ֑ח וּשְׁנֵ֤י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִי֙ מֵ֔תוּ חָפְנִ֖י וּפִֽינְחָֽס׃

Vocabulary

Verse 5

            רוע  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl): “shout” (BDB, 929)

            תרועה  “shout of joy” (BDB, 929)

            הום  verb (Niphal imperfect 3fs): “be in a stir” (BDB, 223; GKC 72h)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The formula, ויהי כ, is a temporal, clause-level introduction.
• Repetition, while frowned upon in English grammar, is a hallmark of Hebrew.  Thus וירעו תרועה גדולה“one shouts a great shout” reflects normal speech patterns.

Vocabulary

Verse 6

            פלשׁתים  name: “Philistines”

            תרועה  “shout of joy” (BDB, 929)

            עברי  name: “Hebrews”

Verse 7

            אוי  “woe” (BDB, 17)

אתמול  “formerly” (BDB, 1069)

            שׁלשׁום  “three days ago” (BDB, 1026)

Verse 8

            אוי  “woe” (BDB, 17)

            נצל  verb (Hiphil imperfect 3ms with 1cpl suffix): “deliver”

            אדיר  “majestic” (BDB, 12)

            מכה  verb (Hiphil participle mpl): “cause a plague” (BDB, 646)         

Verse 9

            חזק  verb (Hithpael imperative mpl): “Strengthen yourself”

Verse 10

            נגף  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “be smitten” (BDB, 619)

            מכה  “slaughter” (BDB, 646)

            אלף  “thousand”

            רגלי  “footmen” (BDB, 920)

Verse 11

            חפני  name: “Hophni”

            פינחס  name: “Phinehas”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 6

• Attributive adjectives must agree in gender, number and definiteness; cf. הַתְּרוּעָ֧ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֛ה הַזֹּ֖את.

Verse 7

• The discourse marker is repeated, but the speaker does not change.
• The clause, א֣וֹי לָ֔נוּ, is verbless.
• The phrase, אֶתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֹֽׁם, means “before today.”

Verse 8

• Again, two adjectives are used to describe the noun, הָאֱלֹהִ֥ים הָאַדִּירִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה.  Even though אלהים is usually translated as a singular (“God”), its form is plural.  However, in this context it is used for plural gods.
• The phrase, הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים הַמַּכִּ֧ים אֶת־מִצְרַ֛יִם, is left dislocated that is to say it has been placed at the end of the sentence and replaced in the matrix sentence by a pronoun.
• The participle, הַמַּכִּ֧ים, is substantive and has an explicit object, אֶת־מִצְרַ֛יִם.

Verse 9

• The name, פלשׁתים, functions as a vocative.

Verse 10

• The מִן preposition attached to מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֔ל is partitive “from out of.”

וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּל־מַלְכֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֡י אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן יָ֗מָּה וְכָל־מַלְכֵ֤י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַיָּ֔ם אֵ֠ת אֲשֶׁר־הוֹבִ֨ישׁ יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־מֵ֧י הַיַּרְדֵּ֛ן מִפְּנֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־[עָבְרָנוּ] וַיִּמַּ֣ס לְבָבָ֗ם וְלֹא־הָ֨יָה בָ֥ם עוֹד֙ ר֔וּחַ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס          

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            האמרי  name: “Amorites”

        עבר  “beyond”

            כנעני  name: “Canaanites”

            יבשׁ  verb (Hiphil perfect 3ms): “dried up”

נמס  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “grow fearful, melt” (BDB, 587)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The formula ויהי כ is temporal “and it happened when.”
• The compass direction ימה “to the sea” is the “west.”
• The direct object marker, את אשׁר, marks the object clause.
• The word, מפני, marks the idiomatic phrase “before the face of” or “before.”
• Qere: עָבְרָ֑ם.  The difference is between pronominal suffixes, Kethib witnesses 1cpl while Qere is 3mpl.  Since the pronominal suffix is attached to an infinitive it is serving as the subject of the verbal idea.