Archive for the 'Ezekiel' Category

May 18 2006

Ezekiel 8:15-18

Published by Hardy under Ezekiel, Grammar

 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 ביןבין 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.”

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May 11 2006

Ezekiel 8:7-14

Published by Hardy under Ezekiel, Grammar

וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתִ֖י אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח הֶֽחָצֵ֑ר וָאֶרְאֶ֕ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה חֹר־אֶחָ֖ד בַּקִּֽיר׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֖ם חֲתָר־נָ֣א בַקִּ֑יר וָאֶחְתֹּ֣ר בַּקִּ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֖ה פֶּ֥תַח אֶחָֽד׃ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י בֹּ֤א וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־הַתּוֹעֵב֣וֹת הָרָע֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֛ר הֵ֥ם עֹשִׂ֖ים פֹּֽה׃ 10 וָאָבוֹא֮ וָֽאֶרְאֶה֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה כָל־תַּבְנִ֜ית רֶ֤מֶשׂ וּבְהֵמָה֙ שֶׁ֔קֶץ וְכָל־גִּלּוּלֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מְחֻקֶּ֥ה עַל־הַקִּ֖יר סָבִ֥יב ׀ סָבִֽיב׃ 11 וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י בֵֽית־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל וְיַאֲזַנְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־שָׁפָ֜ן עֹמֵ֤ד בְּתוֹכָם֙ עֹמְדִ֣ים לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וְאִ֥ישׁ מִקְטַרְתּ֖וֹ בְּיָד֑וֹ וַעֲתַ֥ר עֲנַֽן־הַקְּטֹ֖רֶת עֹלֶֽה׃ 12 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַי֮ הֲרָאִ֣יתָ בֶן־אָדָם֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר זִקְנֵ֤י בֵֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ אִ֖ישׁ בְּחַדְרֵ֣י מַשְׂכִּית֑וֹ כִּ֣י אֹמְרִ֗ים אֵ֤ין יְהוָה֙ רֹאֶ֣ה אֹתָ֔נוּ עָזַ֥ב יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ 13 וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י ע֣וֹד תָּשׁ֥וּב תִּרְאֶ֛ה תּוֹעֵב֥וֹת גְּדֹל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥מָּה עֹשִֽׂים׃ 14 וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתִ֗י אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ שַׁ֣עַר בֵּית־יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֶל־הַצָּפ֑וֹנָה וְהִנֵּה־שָׁם֙ הַנָּשִׁ֣ים יֹֽשְׁב֔וֹת מְבַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־הַתַּמּֽוּז׃ ס  

Vocabulary

Verse 7

            פתח  “opening, door”

            חצר  “courtyard”

            חר  “hole” (BDB, 359)

            קיר  “wall” (BDB, 885)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

  • The causative usage (Hiphil stem) of בוא is “cause to go” or “bring.”

Vocabulary

Verse 8

            חתר  verb (Qal imperative ms): “dig” (BDB, 369)

            קיר  “wall” (BDB, 885)

Verse 9

            תועבה  “abomination”

            פה  adverb: “here” (BDB, 805)

Verse 10

            תבנית  “image” (BDB, 125)

            רמשֹ  “creeping things” (BDB, 943)

            שׁקץ  “detestable” (BDB, 1054)

            גלול  “idol” (BDB, 165)

            חקה  verb (Pual participle ms): “carved” (BDB, 348)

            קיר  “wall” (BDB, 885)

Verse 11

            יאזניהו  name: “Jaazaniah”

            שׁפן  name: “Shaphan”

            מקטרת  “censer” (BDB, 883)

            עתר  “odor” (BDB, 801)

            ענן  “cloud, smoke” (BDB, 777)

            קטרת  “smoke of sacrifice”

Verse 12

            חשׁך  “darkness”

            חדר  “chamber” (BDB, 293)

            משֹכית  “figure, idol” (BDB, 967)

            עזב  verb: “forsake”

Verse 13

            תועבה  “abomination”

Verse 14

            תמוז  “Tammuz”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 8

  • The adjective אחד can be used indeterminately that is as indefinite article “a(n)” (also Exodus 16:33; Judges 9:53, 13:2; 1 Samuel 1:1, 7:9, 12; 1 Kings 13:11, 19:4, 20:13, 22:9; 2 Kings 4:1, 8:6, 12:10; Daniel 8:3, 10:5; cf. GKC 125b).

Verse 9

  • The periphrastic clause, הֵ֥ם עֹשִׂ֖ים, implies the finite verb היה.

Verse 10

  • The repetition of סָבִ֥יב סָבִֽיב heightens the adverbial clause—“on every side” (also 2 Chronicles 4:3; cf. BDB, 686).

Verse 11

  • The initial waw is disjunctive, “now.”
  • The matrix clause begins with the subject ( וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י בֵֽית־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל), which is interrupted by a subordinate clause marked by another disjunctive waw, and ends with the predicate (עֹמְדִ֣ים לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם):

 וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֣ישׁ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י בֵֽית־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל

 [וְיַאֲזַנְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־שָׁפָ֜ן עֹמֵ֤ד בְּתוֹכָם֙]

 עֹמְדִ֣ים לִפְנֵיהֶ֔

  • The second clause, וְאִ֥ישׁ מִקְטַרְתּ֖וֹ בְּיָד֑וֹ, is verbless with the typology S-P.

Verse 12

  • The direct speech begins with the interrogative he, הֲרָאִ֣יתָ.
  • The preceding clause is explained by the asyndetic verbless clause (S-P),אִ֖ישׁ בְּחַדְרֵ֣י מַשְׂכִּית֑וֹ.
  • The speech of the elders is initiated with only the participle, אֹמְרִ֗ים, implying the pronoun הֵמָּה (GKC, 116s; extant in verse 13).
  • The idea of God not seeing is further explicated as abandonment (עזב) in the following epexegetical clause.

Verse 13

  • The two verbs, תָּשׁ֥וּב תִּרְאֶ֛ה, even though morphologically imperfects continue the imperative mood of the previous commands in verse 12.

Verse 14

  • Notice the progression into the temple from the courtyard (verse 7:וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתִ֖י אֶל־פֶּ֣תַח הֶֽחָצֵ֑ר) to the gate (verse 14: וַיָּבֵ֣א אֹתִ֗י אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ שַׁ֣עַר).
  • The phrase, מְבַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־הַתַּמּֽוּז “weeping the Tammuz,” is probably referring to a common ANE ritual concerning the Babylonian shepherd god (see Wiki).  Excerpt from ::amazon(1590161211,“Descent of the Goddess Ishtar into the Lower World”):: (Morris Jastrow, available on Sacred Texts):

If she (Ishtar) will not grant thee her release,

To Tammuz, the lover of her youth,

Pour out pure waters, pour out fine oil;

With a festival garment deck him that he may play on the flute of lapis lazuli,

That the votaries may cheer his liver. [his spirit]

Belili [sister of Tammuz] had gathered the treasure,

With precious stones filled her bosom.

When Belili heard the lament of her brother, she dropped her treasure,

She scattered the precious stones before her,

"Oh, my only brother, do not let me perish!

On the day when Tammuz plays for me on the flute of lapis lazuli, playing it for me with the porphyry ring.

Together with him, play ye for me, ye weepers and lamenting women!

That the dead may rise up and inhale the incense.

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May 04 2006

Ezekiel 8:1-6

Published by Hardy under Ezekiel, Grammar

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשִּׁשִּׁ֗ית בַּשִּׁשִּׁי֙ בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֣ה לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ אֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵיתִ֔י וְזִקְנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים לְפָנָ֑י וַתִּפֹּ֤ל עָלַי֙ שָׁ֔ם יַ֖ד אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֹֽה׃ וָאֶרְאֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה דְמוּת֙ כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵ֔שׁ מִמַּרְאֵ֥ה מָתְנָ֛יו וּלְמַ֖טָּה אֵ֑שׁ וּמִמָּתְנָ֣יו וּלְמַ֔עְלָה כְּמַרְאֵה־זֹ֖הַר כְּעֵ֥ין הַחַשְׁמַֽלָה׃ וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ תַּבְנִ֣ית יָ֔ד וַיִּקָּחֵ֖נִי בְּצִיצִ֣ת רֹאשִׁ֑י וַתִּשָּׂ֣א אֹתִ֣י ר֣וּחַ ׀ בֵּֽין־הָאָ֣רֶץ וּבֵ֣ין הַשָּׁמַ֡יִם וַתָּבֵא֩ אֹתִ֨י יְרוּשָׁלְַ֜מָה בְּמַרְא֣וֹת אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־פֶּ֜תַח שַׁ֤עַר הַפְּנִימִית֙ הַפּוֹנֶ֣ה צָפ֔וֹנָה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֣ם מוֹשַׁ֔ב סֵ֖מֶל הַקִּנְאָ֥ה הַמַּקְנֶֽה׃ וְהִ֨נֵּה־שָׁ֔ם כְּב֖וֹד אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כַּמַּרְאֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי בַּבִּקְעָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם שָׂא־נָ֥א עֵינֶ֖יךָ דֶּ֣רֶךְ צָפ֑וֹנָה וָאֶשָּׂ֤א עֵינַי֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ צָפ֔וֹנָה וְהִנֵּ֤ה מִצָּפוֹן֙ לְשַׁ֣עַר הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ סֵ֛מֶל הַקִּנְאָ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה בַּבִּאָֽה׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הֲרֹאֶ֥ה אַתָּ֖ה [מֵהֶם] עֹשִׂ֑ים תּוֹעֵב֨וֹת גְּדֹל֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ׀ עֹשִׂ֣ים פֹּ֗ה לְרָֽחֳקָה֙ מֵעַ֣ל מִקְדָּשִׁ֔י וְעוֹד֙ תָּשׁ֣וּב תִּרְאֶ֔ה תּוֹעֵב֖וֹת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃ ס      

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            שׁשׁי  cardinal number: “sixth” (BDB, 995)

            יהודה  name: “Judah”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

  • The phrase, בחמשׁה לחדשׁ “on the fifth of the month,” refers to the fifth day (seen elsewhere in Ezekiel 1:1, 1:2, 33:21).
  • The sequencing, אֲנִי֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב, is a periphrastic clause without an extant היה verb.
  • The form of the preposition with the 1cs pronominal suffix is not עָלִי but עָלַי֙.  There is no plural form of this suffix.  Other forms of the 1cs suffix are עֲלַי only found in Daniel (4 times) and עָלָי the pausal form.  The word, עֲלִי, is the Qal imperative fs form of עלה “ascend, go up.”
  • The appellation, אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֹֽה, is not very common outside of the book of Ezekiel only occurring five times (1 Kings 2:26; Psalm 140:8; Isaiah 50:4; Jeremiah 1:6, 7:20); however, it is used twenty-four times in Ezekiel (2:4, 3:11, 27, 5:5, 8:1, 12:10, 13:16, 14:21, 23, 16:36, 17:9, 20:39, 21:33, 22:31, 23:32, 24:6, 14, 26:21, 28:2, 30:22, 33:25, 39:17, 43:27, 46:16).

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            דמות  “likeness” (BDB, 198)

            מראה  “appearance”

            מתנים  “loins” (BDB, 608)

            מטה  “downward” (BDB, 641)

            מעלה  “upward” (BDB, )

            זהר  “brightness” (BDB, 264)

            חשׁמל  “amber” (BDB, 365)

Verse 3

            תבנית  noun (fs): “structure, form, pattern” (BDB, 125)

            ציצת  “lock (of hair)” (BDB, 851)

            מראה  “vision” (BDB, 909)

            פנימי  “inner” (BDB, 819)

            פנה  verb (Qal participle ms): “turning, facing”

            צפון  “north”

            מושׁב  noun: “assembly, seat” (BDB, 444)

            סמל  “image, idol” (BDB, 702)

            קנאה  “jealousy” (BDB, 888)

            קנא  verb (Hiphil participle ms): “jealousy” (BDB, 888)

Verse 4

            מראה  “appearance”

            בקעה  “valley, plain” (BDB, 132)

Verse 5

            צפון  “north”

            סמל  “image, idol” (BDB, 702)

            קנאה  “jealousy” (BDB, 888)

            באה  “entrance” (BDB, 99)

Verse 6

            תועבה  “abomination”

            רחק  “be distant, far off” (BDB, 934)

            מקדשׁ  “sanctuary” (BDB, 874)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

  • The word דמות is used only 25 times in the MT, ten of which are found in the vision of God in the first chapter of Ezekiel.
  • The final phrase, כְּעֵ֥ין הַחַשְׁמַֽלָה, is meant to explain the “appearance of brightness.”  עין normally is translated “eye,” but it could mean the eye of a gemstone (cf. Ezekiel 1).
  • The final he of חשׁמל is most likely a result of a pausal structure (cf. GKC 90f).

Verse 3

  • The רוח “spirit, wind” is the subject of feminine verb נשׁה.
  • The sequencing of ביןבין is used to indicate “between this and that.”
  • The final ה attached to ירושׁלים is a directive he.
  • The form of the final participle מקנה simulates the III-ה verb (GKC 75qq).
  • The final word is an asyndetic relative clause, “which provokes (causes) jealousy.”

Verse 4

  • The glory to which he refers was seen by the Chebar canal in Babylon (Ezekiel 1).

Verse 5

  • שׁא is the Qal imperative ms of נשׁא “lift up.”  It is used often with the direct object עין “eye” to mean idiomatically “look and see [something important].”
  • The directive he is found again attached to צפונה “to the north.”

Verse 6

  • Qere: מָ֣ה הֵ֣ם.  The Kethib conflates these two particles and drops the repeated he.
  • The verb, קחל, sequenced with מעל means to be distant spiritually and not physically.  This is used metaphorically of Israel’s non-Yahwistic worship.

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Apr 27 2006

Ezekiel 7:23-27

Published by Hardy under Ezekiel, Grammar, LXX, Targum

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 φυρμν “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).

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Apr 20 2006

Ezekiel 7:18-22

Published by Hardy under Ezekiel, Grammar, Zephaniah

וְחָגְר֣וּ שַׂקִּ֔ים וְכִסְּתָ֥ה אוֹתָ֖ם פַּלָּצ֑וּת וְאֶ֤ל כָּל־פָּנִים֙ בּוּשָׁ֔ה וּבְכָל־רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם קָרְחָֽה׃ 19 כַּסְפָּ֞ם בַּחוּצ֣וֹת יַשְׁלִ֗יכוּ וּזְהָבָם֮ לְנִדָּ֣ה יִֽהְיֶה֒ כַּסְפָּ֨ם וּזְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה נַפְשָׁם֙ לֹ֣א יְשַׂבֵּ֔עוּ וּמֵעֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּ֑אוּ כִּֽי־מִכְשׁ֥וֹל עֲוֹנָ֖ם הָיָֽה׃ 20 וּצְבִ֤י עֶדְיוֹ֙ לְגָא֣וֹן שָׂמָ֔הוּ וְצַלְמֵ֧י תוֹעֲבֹתָ֛ם שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם עָ֣שׂוּ ב֑וֹ עַל־כֵּ֛ן נְתַתִּ֥יו לָהֶ֖ם לְנִדָּֽה׃ 21 וּנְתַתִּ֤יו בְּיַֽד־הַזָּרִים֙ לָבַ֔ז וּלְרִשְׁעֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ לְשָׁלָ֑ל [וְחִלְּלֻהָ]׃ 22 וַהֲסִבּוֹתִ֤י פָנַי֙ מֵהֶ֔ם וְחִלְּל֖וּ אֶת־צְפוּנִ֑י וּבָאוּ־בָ֥הּ פָּרִיצִ֖ים וְחִלְּלֽוּהָ׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 18

            חגר  verb: “bind on” (BDB, 291)

            שֹק  “sackcloth” (BDB, 974)

            כסה  verb (Piel perfect 3fs): “cover”

            פלצות  noun (fs): “shuddering” (BDB, 814)

            בושׁה  “shame” (BDB, 102)

            קרחה  “baldness” (BDB, 901)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

  • The feminine noun, פַּלָּצ֑וּת, is the subject of the clause.  Other uses of this term as shuddering or horror in the MT include: Job 21:6; Psalm 55:6; Isaiah 21:4.
  • The final two clauses, separated by waw, are verbless of typology P-S.
  • This verse describes the mourning practices of a people under the peril of divine judgment.

Vocabulary

Verse 19

            חוץ  “street (or outside)”

            נדה  “impure thing” (BDB, 622)

            נצל  verb (Hiphil infinitive construct with 3mpl suffix): “save, deliver”

            עברה  “rage, fury” (BDB, 720)

            מעה  “stomach” (BDB, 588)

            מכשׁול  “stumbling block” (BDB, 506)

Verse 20

            צבי  “beauty” (BDB, 840)

            עדי  “ornaments” (BDB, 725)

            גאון  “exaltation, pride” (BDB, 144)

            צלם  “image” (BDB, 853)

            תועבה  “abomination”

            שׁקוץ  “detested thing (idol)” (BDB, 622)

            נדה  “impure thing” (BDB, 622)

Verse 21

            זר  “stranger, foreigner”

            בז  “spoiling, robbery” (BDB, 103)

            שׁלל  “spoil, booty”

            חלל  verb: “profane, defile”

Verse 22

            סבב  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive perfect 1cs): “turn away”

            צפון  “treasured place” (BDB, 860)

            פריץ  “violent one” (BDB, 829)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 19

  • Notice the division of the word pair, כסף וזהב, into two separate lines.
  • The lack of a typical clause connector (asyndeton) before כַּסְפָּ֨ם וּזְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם marks an epexegetical clause that is it explains what is meant by the people casting their money into the streets, etc.
  • See the connection to Zephaniah 1:18: גַּם־כַּסְפָּ֙ם גַּם־זְהָבָ֜ם לֹֽא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהַצִּילָ֗ם בְּיוֹם֙ עֶבְרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה.
  • This clause, מִכְשׁ֥וֹל עֲוֹנָ֖ם הָיָֽה, is the contrapositive of Psalm 119:165:שָׁל֣וֹם רָ֭ב לְאֹהֲבֵ֣י תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ וְאֵֽין־לָ֥מוֹ מִכְשֽׁוֹל.  See also Ezekiel 3:20.

Verse 20

  • The object phrase, צְבִ֤י עֶדְיוֹ֙, is fronted.
  • The relation between the two fronted phrases, צַלְמֵ֧י תוֹעֲבֹתָ֛ם שִׁקּוּצֵיהֶ֖ם, could be conjunctive (“their imagines of abomination and their detestable things [i.e. idols]”) or appositional (“their imagines of abomination that is idols”).
  • The phrase, עַל־כֵּ֛ן, means “therefore.”

Verse 21

  • Qere: וְחִלְּלֽוּהוּ.

Verse 22

  • The 3fs suffix, בָ֥הּ, refers to the צפון “treasured (secret) place.”

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