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עֲשֵׂ֖ה הָֽרַתּ֑וֹק כִּ֣י הָאָ֗רֶץ מָֽלְאָה֙ מִשְׁפַּ֣ט דָּמִ֔ים וְהָעִ֖יר מָלְאָ֥ה חָמָֽס׃ 24 וְהֵֽבֵאתִי֙ רָעֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם וְיָרְשׁ֖וּ אֶת־בָּֽתֵּיהֶ֑ם וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ גְּא֣וֹן עַזִּ֔ים וְנִחֲל֖וּ מְקַֽדְשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ 25 קְפָ֖דָה־בָ֑א וּבִקְשׁ֥וּ שָׁל֖וֹם וָאָֽיִן׃ 26 הוָֹ֤ה עַל־הוָֹה֙ תָּב֔וֹא וּשְׁמֻעָ֥ה אֶל־שְׁמוּעָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה וּבִקְשׁ֤וּ חָזוֹן֙ מִנָּבִ֔יא וְתוֹרָה֙ תֹּאבַ֣ד מִכֹּהֵ֔ן וְעֵצָ֖ה מִזְּקֵנִֽים׃ 27 הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יִתְאַבָּ֗ל וְנָשִׂיא֙ יִלְבַּ֣שׁ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וִידֵ֥י עַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּבָּהַ֑לְנָה מִדַּרְכָּ֞ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ וּבְמִשְׁפְּטֵיהֶ֣ם אֶשְׁפְּטֵ֔ם וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 23

            רתוק  “chain” (BDB, 958)

            חמס  “violence, wrong”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The first verb is an imperative.
• The word, רתוק, is a ::glossary(hapax legomenon):: (only occurs once in MT).  The meaning is based on the verbal root, רתק, meaning “put in fetters (bonds).”  Following Ezekiel 16:20 (וְהֶעֱל֤וּ עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ קָהָ֔ל וְרָגְמ֥וּ אוֹתָ֖ךְ בָּאָ֑בֶן וּבִתְּק֖וּךְ בְּחַרְבוֹתָֽם) and possibly LXX φυρμόν “disorder, mixture,” BHS suggests the textual emendation, בתוק “cut pieces.”  However, this unattested suggestion is dubious at best with the Targum reading “chain” (שׁילשׁלן) and Vulgate “bondage, shutting up” (conclusionem).
• The subjects of the verb, מלא, are feminine singular—ארץ and עיר.

Vocabulary

Verse 24

            ירשׁ  verb: “possess”

            גאון  “pride” (BDB, 144)

            עז  “strong, mighty” (BDB, 738)

            שׁבת  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive perfect 1cs): “remove”

            חלל  verb (Niphal waw-consecutive perfect 3cpl): “be profaned”

Verse 25

            קפדה  “shuddering, horror” (BDB, 891)

Verse 26

            הוה  noun (fs): “ruin, disaster” (BDB, 217)

            שׁמועה  noun: “report” (BDB, 1035)

            חזון  “vision” (BDB, 302)

            אבד  verb (Qal imperfect 3fs): “be lost”

Verse 27

            לבשׁ  verb: “put on, clothe”

            שׁממה  “waste, devastation”

            אבל  verb: “mourn” (BDB, 5)

            בהל  verb (Niphal imperfect 3fpl): “be disturbed, terrified” (BDB, 96)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 24

• BDB suggests that the plural connotes superlative degree, רָעֵ֣י גוֹיִ֔ם “worst of the nations.”

Verse 25

• The waw (וּבִקְשׁ֥וּ שָׁל֖וֹם) is temporal, “when.”

Verse 26

• The formula, x על x (parallel to x אֵל x), as in הוָֹ֤ה עַל־הוָֹה֙ is an intensive or durative idea.  Other occurrences include Psalm 69:28 (תְּֽנָה־עָ֭וֹן עַל־עֲוֹנָ֑ם), Psalm 61:7; 2 Chronicles 21:15 (יָמִים עַל יָמִים) and Job 16:14 (יפְרְצֵנִי פֶרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי־פָ֑רֶץ).
• The waw, וְתוֹרָה֙, is disjunctive “but” (waw + nonverb).
• What an indictment to say that the prophets have lost their vision, the priests the law and the elders counsel!

Verse 27

• This is the only reference to the leaders (or any of the people) being a desolation שׁממה; elsewhere it is only the land that is laid waste (cf. Leviticus 26:33; Isaiah 1:7, 6:11, 17:9, 62:4, 64:9; Jeremiah 4:27, 6:8, 9:10, 10:22, 12:10, 32:43, 34:22, 49:2, 33, 50:13; Lamentations 1:13; Ezekiel 6:14, 12:20, 14:15, 15:8, 29:10, 12, 32:15, 33:28, 35:3, 12, 14, 36:34; Joel 2:3, 4:19; Micah 1:7; Malachi 1:3).
• The prophetic promise, יָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, is used when the Lord makes himself known to unbelievers by sending judgment (first found in Exodus 6:7, 7:5, 10:2, 14:4, 18, 16:12, 29:46; also see 1 Kings 20:13, 28; Isaiah 49:23, 26, 60:16; Jeremiah 9:23; Joel 4:17).  It is found ubiquitously in Ezekiel (cf. 5:13; 6:7, 10, 13ff; 7:4, 9, 27; 11:10, 12; 12:15ff, 20; 13:14, 21, 23; 14:8; 15:7; 16:62; 17:21; 20:38, 42, 44; 21:10; 22:16, 22; 24:27; 25:5, 7, 11, 17; 26:6; 28:22f, 26; 29:9, 21; 30:8, 19, 25ff; 32:15; 33:29; 34:27, 30; 35:4, 9, 12, 15; 36:11, 23, 38; 37:6, 13ff, 28; 38:23; 39:6ff, 22, 28).

וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃ 2 וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃ 3 וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃ 4 אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃ 5 וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃ 6 וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃ 7 וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ 8 וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            תשׁעים  cardinal number: “ninety”

            תשׁע  cardinal number: “nine”

            שׁדי  “Almighty” (BDB, 994)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The idiomatic way to describe the age of an individual is to say that he was “a son of x years.”
• For more on the appellation, אל שׁדי, see HALOT entry under שׁדי.
• The clause, אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י, is a verbless clause with the typology S-P.
• The verb, וֶהְיֵ֥ה, is a Qal imperfect ms from היה.
• The last word, תמים, can have the literal meaning of “complete” (Leviticus 25:30) and “whole, that is “without blemish” (Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 1:3, 10, etc.), or a figurative connotation of “blameless” (Genesis 6:9).

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            אתנה  verb (Qal cohortative 1cs): “I shall make/establish”

Verse 4

            המון  noun: “great number, multitude”

Verse 5

            אברהם  name: “Abraham”

Verse 6

            פרה  verb: “be fruitful” (BDB, 826)

Verse 7

            דור  noun: “generation”

Verse 8

            מגורים  noun: “sojourning” (BDB, 158)

            כנענ  name: “Canaan”

            אחזה  noun: “possession”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The idiom, בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ, repeats בין with the second element—“between me and (between) you.”
• Notice that the verb used with ברית “covenant” is נתן “establish” and not כרת “cut” as in Genesis 15:18.  In general, כרת ברית is used to initiate a covenant (cf. Genesis 15:18; Exodus 34:10, 34:27; Joshua 24:25; Deuteronomy 5:2, 5:3, 28:69, 29:13, 24; 1 Kings 5:26; 2 Kings 11:17, 17:35, 38, 23:3; 2 Chronicles 21:7, 23:3, 16, 29:10, 34:30; Ezra 10:3; Nehemiah 9:8; Psalm 50:5, 89:4; Isaiah 55:3, 61:8; Jeremiah 11:10, 31:31, 32, 33, 32:40, 34:13; Ezekiel 34:25, 37:26; Hosea 2:20).  The (re)establishment of a covenant uses קום ברית (Genesis 6:18, 9:9, 11, 17, 17:7, 19, 21; Exodus 6:4; Ezekiel 16:60, 62) or elsewhere for confirmation נתן ברית (Genesis 17:2; Leviticus 26:9; Numbers 25:12; Deuteronomy 8:18).
• The superlative in Hebrew is not marked morphologically but semantically with repetition, thus the expression מאד מאד means “exceedingly much” (Genesis 7:19, 17:2, 6, 20, 30:43; Exodus 1:7; Numbers 14:7; 1 Kings 7:47; 2 Kings 10:4; Ezekiel 9:9, 16:13, 37:10).
• The second clause demonstrates the means by which the covenant is established.  Thus, the waw is used instrumentally “in that,” that is the proof by which covenant is established is the multiplication of Abram’s seed.

Verse 4

• The phrase, לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם, is a three member construct phrase.
• The fronted אני is difficult to understand syntactically.  The English translations either ignore it (RSV, ESV, NLT) or make it adverbial “as for me” (KJV, NRS, NIV, NAS, JPS).  The LXX (ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ ἡ διαθήκη μου μετὰ σοῦ) duplicates the MT to the point of ambiguity with regard to the Greek syntax.  The Targums present a plausible solution by gapping the verbal concept from the first clause of verse 2 (אנא הא גזר קימי עימך “I, behold, have confirmed my covenant with you”), and not treating it as a verbless clause.

Verse 5

• The naming formula usually contains the meaning or reason for the name in clause marked by the preposition כי.

Verse 6

• See the semantically and grammatically similar clause in verse 2—וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד.

Verse 7

• Concerning the first clause, וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧, see notes on verse 2.
• Other references to לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם include: Genesis 9:12, 16, 17:7, 13, 19; Exodus 31:16; Leviticus 24:8; Numbers 18:19, 25:13; Joshua 4:7; 2 Samuel 23:5; 1 Chronicles 16:17; Job 40:28; Psalm 105:10; Isaiah 24:5, 55:3, 61:8; Jeremiah 32:40, 50:5; Ezekiel 16:60, 37:26.
• Covenant language expanded לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים: the infinitive construct assumes the aspect (imperfective) and person (first) from the previous finite verb.   Notice the expansion of this promise to include also וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ.

Verse 8

• The construct phrase, אֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם, demonstrates the attributive relationship.
• The combination of two direct object phrases without waw indicates apposition, אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן “the land of your sojourning, [that is] all the land of Canaan.”

????????? ?????? ?????????? ??????????? ???????? ????????????????? ???? ???????????? ?????? ??????? 6 ????????? ??????????? ????????? ???? ?????????????? ????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ??????????? ???????????? ?????? ???????????? ?????????????????????? ??????? ???????????????? ??????????????? ???? ???????????? 7 ?????????? ??????????? ???????????? ??????? ?????????? ????????? ????????? ?????????? ??????????????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?????????? ???????? ?????? ???????? ? ??????? ??????????? ????????? ??????????????? ???????????? ??????? ?  

Vocabulary

Verse 5

            ???  verb (Qal participle ms): “bow down” (BDB, 502)

            ???  noun: “rage, anger”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The preposition, ??, is in the place of the object marking the object clause.

Vocabulary

Verse 6

            ???  verb: “despise” (BDB, 102)

            ??  “alone”

            ????  verb (Hiphil infinitive construct): “annihilate, exterminate”

            ?????  name: “Jews”

            ?????????  name: “Xerxes” (king of Persia)

Verse 7

            ????  name (of the first month): “Nisan”

            ???  noun: “lot” (BDB, 807)

            ????  “lot”

            ???  name (of month): “Adar”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 6

• The final he of ??? apocopated because of the stress retraction.
• The final phrase, ???? ???????????, is in apposition to ??????.

Verse 7

• The year (????) was ????????? ????????? “two-ten” that is the “twelfth year of King Xerxes.”
• The word, ???, from which Purim is taken is found only here and in Esther 9:24.  In both occurrences it is explained as being a ???? “lot.”
• The phrase ??? ???? “daily” (cf. 3:4) is adverbial.  Also, ???? ????? means “monthly.”
• The LXX reads: επεσεν ο κληρος εις την τεσσαρεσκαιδεκατην του μηνος ος εστιν Αδαρ “the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month which is Adar.”

וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה חֶרְפָּ֤ה וּגְדוּפָה֙ מוּסָ֣ר וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה לַגּוֹיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֣ר סְבִיבוֹתָ֑יִךְ בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי֩ בָ֨ךְ שְׁפָטִ֜ים בְּאַ֤ף וּבְחֵמָה֙ וּבְתֹכְח֣וֹת חֵמָ֔ה אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ 16 בְּֽשַׁלְּחִ֡י אֶת־חִצֵּי֩ הָרָעָ֨ב הָרָעִ֤ים בָּהֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָי֣וּ לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית אֲשֶׁר־אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח אוֹתָ֖ם לְשַֽׁחֶתְכֶ֑ם וְרָעָב֙ אֹסֵ֣ף עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וְשָׁבַרְתִּ֥י לָכֶ֖ם מַטֵּה־לָֽחֶם׃ 17 וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י עֲ֠לֵיכֶם רָעָ֞ב וְחַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙ וְשִׁכְּלֻ֔ךְ וְדֶ֥בֶר וָדָ֖ם יַעֲבָר־בָּ֑ךְ וְחֶ֙רֶב֙ אָבִ֣יא עָלַ֔יִךְ אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 15

            חרפה  noun: “reproach”

גדופה  noun: “taunt” (BDB, 154)

מוסר  noun: “discipline (warning of)” (BDB, 416)

משׁמה  “horror” (BDB, 1031)

שׁפט  noun: “judgment” (BDB, 1048)

חמה  noun: “wrath”

תוכחת  noun: “rebuke” (BDB, 407)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The preposition beth (בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי֩) marks a subordinate temporal clause.
• The term, אַף “nose,” connotes the figurative meaning of “anger” in this context in conjunction with the other terms for wrath and rebuke.
• The final clause, דִּבַּֽרְתִּי, is an asyndetic relative clause modifying the previous verbless clause with the divine name.

Vocabulary

Verse 16

            חץ  “arrow”

            משׁחית  noun: “ruin, destruction” (BDB, 1008)

            יסף  verb (Hiphil imperative 1cs apocopate): “add”

Verse 17

שׁכל  verb (Piel waw-consecutive perfect 3cpl with 2ms suffix): “make childless” (BDB, 1013)

            דבר  “plague” (BDB, 184)  

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 16

• In the phrase, חִצֵּי֩ הָרָעָ֨ב הָרָעִ֤ים, the final adjective (mpl) modifies the first noun (mpl) that is in construct with the second element, “famine.”
• The LXX demonstrates the Vorlage חִצַּי (τας βολιδας μου), “my arrows.”
• See my comment on מַטֵּה־לָֽחֶם at Ezekiel 4:16.

Verse 17

• The noun phrase, חַיָּ֤ה רָעָה֙, probably means “wild beasts.”  This idea of wild beasts inheriting the land has deep roots in the MT (cf. Gen. 37:20, 33; Lev. 26:6; Ezek. 14:15; 34:25).