Grammar Analysis: Zechariah 3:4-5
Text
Hebrew (v.4): וַיַּ֣עַן וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֶל־הָעֹמְדִ֤ים לְפָנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָסִ֛ירוּ הַבְּגָדִ֥ים הַצֹּאִ֖ים מֵעָלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו רְאֵ֨ה הֶעֱבַ֤רְתִּי מֵעָלֶ֨יךָ֙ עֲוֹנֶ֔ךָ וְהַלְבֵּ֥שׁ אֹתְךָ֖ מַחֲלָצֹֽות׃
Hebrew (v.5): וָאֹמַ֕ר יָשִׂ֛ימוּ צָנִ֥יף טָהֹ֖ור עַל־רֹאשֹׁ֑ו וַיָּשִׂימוּ֩ הַצָּנִ֨יף הַטָּהֹ֜ור עַל־רֹאשֹׁ֗ו וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁ֨הוּ֙ בְּגָדִ֔ים וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה עֹמֵֽד׃
KJV (v.4): And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
KJV (v.5): And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.
Word-by-Word Parsing
Verse 4
| # |
Word |
Lemma |
Parsing |
Gloss |
| 1 |
וַ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 2 |
יַּעַן |
ענה |
Verb.Qal.Wayq.3ms |
answer |
| 3 |
וַ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 4 |
יֹּאמֶר |
אמר |
Verb.Qal.Wayq.3ms |
say |
| 5 |
אֶל |
אל |
Prep |
to |
| 6 |
הָ |
ה |
Art |
the |
| 7 |
עֹמְדִים |
עמד |
Verb.Qal.Ptcp.mp.Abs |
standing (ones) |
| 8 |
לְ |
ל |
Prep |
to/before |
| 9 |
פָנָיו |
פנה |
Noun.mp.Abs.+3ms |
his face |
| 10 |
לֵ |
ל |
Prep |
to |
| 11 |
אמֹר |
אמר |
Verb.Qal.InfCon |
say |
| 12 |
הָסִירוּ |
סור (H5493) |
Verb.Hiphil.Impv.2mp |
remove! / take away! |
| 13 |
הַ |
ה |
Art |
the |
| 14 |
בְּגָדִים |
בגד |
Noun.mp.Abs |
garments |
| 15 |
הַ |
ה |
Art |
the |
| 16 |
צֹּאִים |
צאי (H6674) |
Adj.mp.Abs |
filthy |
| 17 |
מֵ |
מן |
Prep |
from |
| 18 |
עָלָיו |
על |
Prep.+3ms |
upon him |
| 19 |
וַ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 20 |
יֹּאמֶר |
אמר |
Verb.Qal.Wayq.3ms |
say |
| 21 |
אֵלָיו |
אל |
Prep.+3ms |
to him |
| 22 |
רְאֵה |
ראה |
Verb.Qal.Impv.2ms |
see! / behold! |
| 23 |
הֶעֱבַרְתִּי |
עבר (H5674) |
Verb.Hiphil.Perf.1s |
I have caused to pass over |
| 24 |
מֵ |
מן |
Prep |
from |
| 25 |
עָלֶיךָ |
על |
Prep.+2ms |
upon you |
| 26 |
עֲוֹנֶךָ |
עון (H5771) |
Noun.ms.Abs.+2ms |
your iniquity |
| 27 |
וְ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 28 |
הַלְבֵּשׁ |
לבשׁ (H3847) |
Verb.Hiphil.InfAbs |
clothe |
| 29 |
אֹתְךָ |
את |
Prep.+2ms |
you (obj. marker) |
| 30 |
מַחֲלָצוֹת |
מחלצות (H4254) |
Noun.fp.Abs |
festal robes / change of raiment |
Verse 5
| # |
Word |
Lemma |
Parsing |
Gloss |
| 1 |
וָ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 2 |
אֹמַר |
אמר |
Verb.Qal.Wayq.1s |
I said |
| 3 |
יָשִׂימוּ |
שׂים (H7760) |
Verb.Qal.Impf.3mp |
let them place |
| 4 |
צָנִיף |
צניף (H6797) |
Noun.ms.Abs |
turban / mitre |
| 5 |
טָהוֹר |
טהר |
Adj.ms.Abs |
pure / clean |
| 6 |
עַל |
על |
Prep |
upon |
| 7 |
רֹאשׁוֹ |
ראשׁ |
Noun.ms.Abs.+3ms |
his head |
| 8 |
וַ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 9 |
יָּשִׂימוּ |
שׂים (H7760) |
Verb.Qal.Wayq.3mp |
and they placed |
| 10 |
הַ |
ה |
Art |
the |
| 11 |
צָּנִיף |
צניף (H6797) |
Noun.ms.Abs |
turban / mitre |
| 12 |
הַ |
ה |
Art |
the |
| 13 |
טָּהוֹר |
טהר |
Adj.ms.Abs |
pure / clean |
| 14 |
עַל |
על |
Prep |
upon |
| 15 |
רֹאשׁוֹ |
ראשׁ |
Noun.ms.Abs.+3ms |
his head |
| 16 |
וַ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 17 |
יַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ |
לבשׁ (H3847) |
Verb.Hiphil.Wayq.3mp.+3ms |
and they clothed him |
| 18 |
בְּגָדִים |
בגד |
Noun.mp.Abs |
garments |
| 19 |
וּ |
ו |
Conj |
and |
| 20 |
מַלְאַךְ |
מלאך |
Noun.ms.Cst |
messenger/angel of |
| 21 |
יְהוָה |
יהוה |
PropN.ms.Abs |
YHWH |
| 22 |
עֹמֵד |
עמד |
Verb.Qal.Ptcp.ms.Abs |
standing |
Clause Structure
Verse 4
| Clause |
Type |
Domain |
Text |
Phrase Functions |
| 1 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וַיַּעַן |
[Conj] וַ [Pred] יַּעַן |
| 2 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וַיֹּאמֶר |
[Conj] וַ [Pred] יֹּאמֶר |
| 3 |
Ptcp (participial) |
N (narrative) |
אֶל הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו |
[Rela] אֶל הָ [PreC] עֹמְדִים [Cmpl] לְפָנָיו |
| 4 |
InfC (infinitive construct) |
N (narrative) |
לֵאמֹר |
[Pred] לֵאמֹר |
| 5 |
ZIm0 (zero-imperative) |
Q (quotation) |
הָסִירוּ הַבְּגָדִים הַצֹּאִים מֵעָלָיו |
[Pred] הָסִירוּ [Objc] הַבְּגָדִים הַצֹּאִים [Cmpl] מֵעָלָיו |
| 6 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו |
[Conj] וַ [Pred] יֹּאמֶר [Cmpl] אֵלָיו |
| 7 |
ZIm0 (zero-imperative) |
Q (quotation) |
רְאֵה |
[Pred] רְאֵה |
| 8 |
ZQt0 (zero-qatal) |
Q (quotation) |
הֶעֱבַרְתִּי מֵעָלֶיךָ עֲוֹנֶךָ |
[Pred] הֶעֱבַרְתִּי [Cmpl] מֵעָלֶיךָ [Objc] עֲוֹנֶךָ |
| 9 |
InfA (infinitive absolute) |
Q (quotation) |
וְהַלְבֵּשׁ אֹתְךָ מַחֲלָצוֹת |
[Conj] וְ [Pred] הַלְבֵּשׁ [Objc] אֹתְךָ [Cmpl] מַחֲלָצוֹת |
Verse 5
| Clause |
Type |
Domain |
Text |
Phrase Functions |
| 1 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וָאֹמַר |
[Conj] וָ [Pred] אֹמַר |
| 2 |
ZYq0 (zero-yiqtol) |
Q (quotation) |
יָשִׂימוּ צָנִיף טָהוֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ |
[Pred] יָשִׂימוּ [Objc] צָנִיף טָהוֹר [Cmpl] עַל רֹאשׁוֹ |
| 3 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וַיָּשִׂימוּ הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ |
[Conj] וַ [Pred] יָּשִׂימוּ [Objc] הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר [Cmpl] עַל רֹאשׁוֹ |
| 4 |
Way0 (wayyiqtol) |
N (narrative) |
וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ בְּגָדִים |
[Conj] וַ [PreO] יַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ [Objc] בְּגָדִים |
| 5 |
Ptcp (participial) |
N (narrative) |
וּמַלְאַךְ יְהוָה עֹמֵד |
[Conj] וּ [Subj] מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה [PreC] עֹמֵד |
Construct Chains
| Head (Construct) |
Dependent (Absolute) |
Meaning |
| מַלְאַךְ (messenger) |
יְהוָה (YHWH) |
angel/messenger of YHWH |
Key Grammatical Features
1. הָסִירוּ (hasiyruw) -- Hiphil Imperative 2mp of סור
- Form: Hiphil stem, imperative mood, 2nd person masculine plural. Root סור (H5493, "turn aside"). The Hiphil transforms the Qal intransitive "turn aside / depart" into the causative transitive "cause to turn aside / remove."
- Significance: This is a direct command from the divine speaker to the angelic attendants (הָעֹמְדִים לְפָנָיו, "those standing before him"). The 2mp imperative assigns the removal action to multiple agents, while the object receiving the action is Joshua (3ms suffix on מֵעָלָיו). The clause structure (ZIm0, zero-imperative in quotation domain) confirms this is embedded direct speech within the vision. The Hiphil causative + imperative mood combination produces the strongest possible removal command: "cause [these garments] to be removed — now."
- Parallel: Gen 35:2 הָסִרוּ (same form, Hiphil.Impv.2mp of סור) -- Jacob commands his household to "put away the foreign gods." Same verb, same stem, same mood, same person/number -- both passages involve removal of something defiling before a theophanic encounter.
- Grammar reference: stem-hiphil, imperative-mood
- Word study: H5493-cuwr
2. הֶעֱבַרְתִּי (he'evarttiy) -- Hiphil Perfect 1cs of עבר
- Form: Hiphil stem, perfect tense, 1st person common singular. Root עבר (H5674, "pass over / cross"). The Hiphil turns the Qal intransitive "pass/cross" into the causative "cause to pass away / remove by passing."
- Significance: This is the divine interpretation of the garment-removal command. Where the attendants physically remove garments (clause 5), the divine speaker explains the theological reality: "I have caused your iniquity (עֲוֹנֶךָ) to pass from upon you (מֵעָלֶיךָ)." The perfect tense here is critical -- it presents the removal of iniquity as a completed action, a perfectum declarativum: by the act of divine speech, the removal is accomplished. The first-person singular subject ("I") identifies YHWH himself as the agent of cleansing, even though angelic attendants carry out the physical action. The Hiphil causative marks YHWH as the external causer who makes iniquity pass away.
- Parallel: 2 Sam 12:13 -- YHWH causes David's sin to "pass over" (הֶעֱבִיר, Hiphil.Perf.3ms of עבר): "The LORD also hath put away thy sin." Same Hiphil stem, same theological concept of YHWH as agent who causes sin to pass from the sinner. 2 Sam 24:10 also uses the same root for removing iniquity.
- Grammar reference: stem-hiphil, hiphil-imperfect (for general Hiphil stem discussion)
- Word study: H5674-abar, H5771-avon
3. וְהַלְבֵּשׁ (wehalbesh) -- Hiphil Infinitive Absolute of לבשׁ
- Form: Conjunction waw + Hiphil infinitive absolute. Root לבשׁ (H3847, "put on / clothe"). Qal = "put on (a garment), wear"; Hiphil = "cause to put on, clothe (someone else)."
- Significance: This is a Hiphil infinitive absolute used as a continuation of the preceding Hiphil perfect (הֶעֱבַרְתִּי). The clause structure tags it as InfA (infinitive absolute clause) in quotation domain, coordinated with the preceding perfect by waw conjunctive. This syntactic pattern -- perfect verb followed by waw + infinitive absolute of a different root -- continues the verbal force of the finite verb. The infinitive absolute carries the same tense-aspect, person, and modality as the governing perfect. Here it produces: "I have caused your iniquity to pass from you and [I am] clothing you with festal robes." The continuation-infinitive-absolute construction avoids a new finite verb, binding the two actions (removal of iniquity and investiture with robes) into a single unified divine act. The subject remains the divine first-person speaker from הֶעֱבַרְתִּי.
- Parallel: Gen 41:43 has a similar continuation-infinitive-absolute after a wayyiqtol narrative verb. The pattern of InfAbs continuing a finite verb is well-attested in divine speech contexts (see grammar reference below).
- Grammar reference: infinitive-absolute-intensification, stem-hiphil
- Word study: H3847-labash, H4254-machalatsah
4. יָשִׂימוּ (yasiymuw) -- Qal Imperfect 3mp of שׂים (Jussive Function)
- Form: Qal stem, imperfect tense, 3rd person masculine plural. Root שׂים (H7760, "put / place / set"). The morphological form is standard Qal imperfect 3mp, but the syntactic context determines its function.
- Significance: The clause structure tags this as ZYq0 (zero-yiqtol in quotation domain) -- an imperfect verb without waw-consecutive at the head of a quotation clause. This position, inside direct speech introduced by וָאֹמַר ("and I said"), gives the imperfect a jussive/volitive function: "let them place." The speaker (the prophet, or possibly a second angelic figure) requests that a pure turban (צָנִיף טָהוֹר) be set on Joshua's head. The 3mp subject ("they") refers to the same angelic attendants addressed in the 2mp imperative of v.4. The shift from 2mp imperative (direct command to them) to 3mp jussive (wish/request about them) reflects a change in the speech situation: v.4 is the Angel of YHWH commanding his attendants directly; v.5 is a different speaker expressing a wish for the attendants to act.
- Immediate fulfillment: The jussive יָשִׂימוּ is immediately followed by the narrative wayyiqtol וַיָּשִׂימוּ (same root, same stem, same person/number but now with waw-consecutive), confirming that the wish was carried out: "let them place... and they placed." The shift from anarthrous צָנִיף טָהוֹר (indefinite: "a pure turban") to articular הַצָּנִיף הַטָּהוֹר (definite: "the pure turban") between the jussive and the wayyiqtol further marks the transition from request to fulfillment -- the turban mentioned in the wish is now the specific turban placed on his head.
- Grammar reference: qal-imperfect
5. וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ (wayyalbishuhu) -- Hiphil Wayyiqtol 3mp+3ms of לבשׁ
- Form: Waw-consecutive + Hiphil imperfect (wayyiqtol), 3rd person masculine plural, with 3ms object suffix. Root לבשׁ (H3847). The Hiphil causative + 3ms pronominal suffix = "they caused him to be clothed / they clothed him."
- Significance: This is the narrative fulfillment of the divine declaration in v.4. In v.4, the infinitive absolute הַלְבֵּשׁ declared the divine intention to clothe Joshua; here the wayyiqtol reports its execution by the angelic attendants. The 3mp subject ("they") acts as the instrumental agents carrying out what the divine "I" declared. The clause structure (Way0, narrative domain, with combined [PreO] predicate-object slot) shows the pronominal suffix is so tightly bound to the verb that ETCBC treats them as a single constituent. The verb form matches Gen 3:21 וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם (Hiphil.Wayq.3ms of לבשׁ), where God clothes Adam and Eve -- the same stem and conjugation pattern, with God as the agent who causes the clothing to happen.
- Grammar reference: stem-hiphil, hiphil-imperfect
- Word study: H3847-labash
Discourse Structure: The Hiphil Sequence
The passage exhibits a carefully structured sequence of causative (Hiphil) verbs that forms the backbone of the divine cleansing action:
| Step |
Verb |
Form |
Agent |
Action |
| 1 |
הָסִירוּ |
Hiphil.Impv.2mp (סור) |
Angelic attendants (commanded) |
Cause-to-remove the filthy garments |
| 2 |
הֶעֱבַרְתִּי |
Hiphil.Perf.1cs (עבר) |
YHWH (first person) |
I have caused your iniquity to pass away |
| 3 |
וְהַלְבֵּשׁ |
Hiphil.InfAbs (לבשׁ) |
YHWH (continuing) |
[I am] clothing you with festal robes |
| 4 |
וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ |
Hiphil.Wayq.3mp (לבשׁ) |
Angelic attendants (narrated) |
They clothed him with garments |
The Hiphil stem is the unifying grammatical thread. Every major action verb in the cleansing sequence is Hiphil causative -- whether commanded (imperative), declared (perfect), continued (infinitive absolute), or narrated (wayyiqtol). This concentrates agency: YHWH is the ultimate causer (steps 2-3, first-person speech), and the angelic attendants are the instrumental agents (steps 1 and 4).
The progression of verb forms is also significant:
- Imperative (command to act) --> Perfect (declaration of accomplished fact) --> Infinitive absolute (continuation binding removal and investiture as one act) --> Wayyiqtol (narrative execution)
The Qal jussive יָשִׂימוּ in v.5 is the only non-Hiphil action verb in the sequence, and it introduces a distinct element (the turban) from a distinct speaker, before the narrative returns to the Hiphil fulfillment chain with וַיַּלְבִּשֻׁהוּ.
Vocabulary Notes
| Word |
Strong's |
Gloss |
Occurrences |
Note |
| צֹּאִים |
H6674 |
filthy, soiled |
2 (Zec 3:3, 3:4 only) |
Derived from root meaning "to issue (excrement)"; exclusively in this passage |
| מַחֲלָצוֹת |
H4254 |
festal robes / change of raiment |
2 (Isa 3:22, Zec 3:4 only) |
From root חלץ "draw off"; the replacement garments |
| צָנִיף |
H6797 |
turban / mitre / diadem |
5 (Job 29:14; Isa 3:23; 62:3; Zec 3:5 x2) |
Head-dress wrapped around; priestly/royal headgear |
| עָוֹן |
H5771 |
iniquity / guilt / punishment |
230 |
The theological cargo of the filthy garments |
Cross-References
Grammar Library
Word Studies