May 18 2006
Ezekiel 8:15-18
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֵלַ֖י הֲרָאִ֣יתָ בֶן־אָדָ֑ם ע֣וֹד תָּשׁ֥וּב תִּרְאֶ֛ה תּוֹעֵב֥וֹת גְּדֹל֖וֹת מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃ 16 וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתִ֗י אֶל־חֲצַ֣ר בֵּית־יְהוָה֮ הַפְּנִימִית֒ וְהִנֵּה־פֶ֜תַח הֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֗ה בֵּ֤ין הָֽאוּלָם֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ כְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אִ֑ישׁ אֲחֹ֨רֵיהֶ֜ם אֶל־הֵיכַ֤ל יְהוָה֙ וּפְנֵיהֶ֣ם קֵ֔דְמָה וְהֵ֛מָּה מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֥ם קֵ֖דְמָה לַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ 17 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַי֮ הֲרָאִ֣יתָ בֶן־אָדָם֒ הֲנָקֵל֙ לְבֵ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה מֵעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־הַתּוֹעֵב֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽשׂוּ־פֹ֑ה כִּֽי־מָלְא֨וּ אֶת־הָאָ֜רֶץ חָמָ֗ס וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי וְהִנָּ֛ם שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֶת־הַזְּמוֹרָ֖ה אֶל־אַפָּֽם׃ 18 וְגַם־אֲנִי֙ אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה בְחֵמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תָח֥וֹס עֵינִ֖י וְלֹ֣א אֶחְמֹ֑ל וְקָרְא֤וּ בְאָזְנַי֙ ק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל וְלֹ֥א אֶשְׁמַ֖ע אוֹתָֽם׃
Vocabulary
Verse 15
תועבה “abomination”
Syntax & Miscellaneous
- The מִן preposition is used as the comparative—“more than.”
Vocabulary
Verse 16
חצר “courtyard”
פנימי “inner” (BDB, 819)
פתה “door, opening”
אולם “porch” (BDB, 17)
אחור “back” (BDB, 30)
קדם “eastward” (BDB, 870)
שׁמשׁ “sun”
Verse 17
קלל verb (Niphal perfect 3ms): “too slight, too small” (sequenced with מִן)
יהודה name: “Judah”
תועבה “abomination”
פה “here” (BDB, 805)
חמס “violence”
כעס verb (Hiphil infinitive construct w/ 1cs suffix): “be vexed, provoked to anger”
זמורה “small branch” (BDB, 274)
Verse 18
חמה noun: “wrath”
חוס verb (Qal imperfect 3fs): “look upon with compassion, pity” (BDB, 299)
חמל verb: “spare, have compassion” (BDB, 328)
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 16
- The adjective, הַפְּנִימִית֒, is modifying חצר. Adjectives must agree in gender, number and definiteness. חצר is mostly feminine in the MT, each is singular and it is considered definite because it is in construct with a proper noun בית־יהוה.
- The sequencing of בין …בין is used to mark between … and ….
- The meaning of the word, אולם “porch,” is obscure. The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says it “occurs mainly in 1 Kings and Ezekiel as part of a temple or palace. Apparently it was an enclosed porch or entrance hall, since it could have windows (Ezekiel 41:26) and is compared to a palace (1 Kings 7:8)” (Harris, et al., TWOT, 45j).
- The kaf inseparable preposition can function to give approximate numbers, כְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אִ֑ישׁ “about twenty-five men.”
- The final clause, וְהֵ֛מָּה מִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֥ם קֵ֖דְמָה לַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ, is periphrastic without an extant, finite היה verb. קדמה is functioning adverbial demonstrating to what direction they are bowing down in worship.
Verse 17
- An interrogative he is prefixed to the verb, הֲנָקֵל֙.
- The final clause is periphrastic without an extant היה verb.
- The expression, שֹׁלְחִ֥ים אֶת־הַזְּמוֹרָ֖ה אֶל־אַפָּֽם, probably indicates some type of idolatrous worship rite.
Verse 18
- The subject of the verb חוס is the feminine noun, עין.
- The phrase, ק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל, is functioning adverbially “with a great voice.”