1
Later, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
Berean Standard Bible · CC0
Hebrew — tap a word ↓
nə·ḇī·ʾå̄h ḥag·gay ū·zə·ḵar·yāh ḇar- ‘id·dō·w wə·hiṯ·nab·bî nə·ḇī·ʾay·yå̄ ‘al- yə·hū·ḏā·yê dî ḇî·hūḏ ū·ḇî·rū·šə·lem bə·šum ’ĕ·lāh yiś·rā·’êl ‘ă·lê·hō·wn
Word by word16 · parsed
√ nᵉbîyʼ — a prophetNounmasculine singular determinate
nᵉbîyʼ: a prophet The determinate form, "the prophet," is rare in this corpus (H5029 stands in only 3 verses), and it appears twice in this single verse, once singular for Haggai and once plural for the pair. Cambridge notes that the title looks "superfluous" after the plural, but that Ezra 6:14 and Haggai 1:1 show "the phrase was commonly attached to Haggai's name." Ezra is not padding: he is naming an office, the one instrument by which a stalled work is restarted.
√ Chaggay — Chaggai, a Hebrew prophetNounpropermasculine singular
√ Zᵉkaryâh — Zecarjah, the name of twenty-nine IsraelitesConjunctive wawNounpropermasculine singular
√ bar — a son, grandson, etcNounmasculine singular construct
√ ʻIddôw — Iddo (or Iddi), the name of five IsraelitesNounpropermasculine singular
√ nᵉbâʼ — {to prophesy, iConjunctive wawVerbHitpaelConjunctive perfectthird person masculine singular
nᵉbâʼ: to prophesy (Hitpael) The reflexive stem, plus a perfect that is singular against two named subjects, gives the sentence a stammering, eyewitness quality. Ellicott presses the historical force: the prophets "reveal a state of apathy which Ezra does not allude to," a paralysis that "would have thwarted the whole design of Providence had it not been changed." JFB dates the paralysis: "For fifteen years the work was completely suspended."
√ nᵉbîyʼ — a prophetNounmasculine plural determinate
√ ʻal — {above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications}Preposition
ʻal: upon, over, against Function word, but load-bearing here. K&D defends the sense "to" by appeal to Ezekiel 37:4, where ʻal stands where ʼel would be expected.
√ Yᵉhûwdâʼîy — a Jehudaite (or Judaite), iNounpropermasculine singular
√ dîy — that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrasesPronounrelative
√ Yᵉhûwd — properly, Judah, hence, JudaeaPreposition-bNounpropermasculine singular
√ Yᵉrûwshâlêm — {Jerusalem}Conjunctive waw, Preposition-bNounproperfeminine singular
√ shum — {an appellation, as amark or memorial of individualityPreposition-bNounmasculine singular construct
shum: an appellation, a mark or memorial of individuality H8036 is uncommon (10 verses), and the construct "in-the-name-of" is the whole warrant of the two prophets: they carry no imperial commission, only a Name. The same noun becomes the satrap's weapon in v. 4, where he demands the names of the men. The unit turns on a contest of names, one asked for by Persia and one invoked from heaven.
√ ʼĕlâhh — GodNounmasculine singular construct
ʼĕlâhh: God Here in the construct and undetermined, "God of Israel," the covenant title rather than the generic Aramaic deity word used by the officials later in the chapter. The distinction matters: the prophets speak in the name of a God who has bound himself to a particular people.
√ Yisrâʼêl — {Jisrael, a symbolical name of JacobNounpropermasculine singular
√ ʻal — {above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications}Prepositionthird person masculine plural
ʻal: upon (with third masculine plural suffix) Two words end the verse and they resist translation. Cambridge admits the rendering "which was upon them" is "a harsh condensed expression," yet "seems preferable," and points to Jeremiah 15:16, "I am called by Thy name." K&D reads it as God "who was come upon them, had manifested Himself to them." ⚙ Either way the verse ends where v. 5 will end: with God over this people, not Persia.