חֲזֹון֙ יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ בֶן־אָמֹ֔וץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֧הוּ יֹותָ֛ם אָחָ֥ז יְחִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃ (Isaiah 1:1)
The vision of Yeshaʿyahu son of Amots, which he saw concerning Yehudah and Yerushalayim in the days of ʿUziyahu, Yotam, Aḥaz, and Ḥizqiyahu, kings of Yehudah.
Introduction: When and Who in a Vision’s Frame
Isaiah 1:1 serves as a superscription—introducing the prophet, the subject of the prophecy, and the historical context. In a single verse, it skillfully employs appositional constructions, relative clauses, and temporal prepositions. The syntax doesn’t merely inform; it frames divine revelation across time, people, and geography.
Relative Clause Spotlight: אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה
This phrase—אֲשֶׁר חָזָ֔ה (“which he saw”)—links directly to חֲזֹון (“vision”). It’s a classic relative clause construction in Biblical Hebrew:
- אֲשֶׁר – relative particle, “which”
- חָזָה – Qal perfect 3ms of ח־ז־ה, “to see (a vision)”
This tightly binds the act of seeing with the vision, emphasizing prophetic revelation as something directly perceived, not merely received passively.
Grammar Snapshot: חָזָה
| Form | Root | Stem | Tense | Person / Gender | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| חָזָה | ח־ז־ה | Qal | Perfect | 3rd Person Masculine Singular | Visionary experience |
Apposition and Clarifying Identity
The phrase יְשַֽׁעְיָהוּ בֶן־אָמֹ֔וץ follows חֲזֹון in apposition. This structure is common in Hebrew introductions: a noun (vision) is followed by the subject who experiences it, clarified by his paternal lineage. The apposition tells us that Isaiah is the one having the vision—it is not a separate clause but an explanatory phrase.
Temporal Anchoring: בִּימֵ֨י…
The prepositional phrase בִּימֵ֨י (“in the days of”) introduces a chronological frame:
- It governs the entire final portion of the verse.
- It is followed by a list of four kings, each in apposition.
This syntax grounds the vision in real historical reigns—עֻזִּיָּהוּ יֹותָם אָחָז יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ—and thus reinforces the prophetic role as one operating within political history, not apart from it.
Masoretic Emphasis and Literary Flow
Masoretic accents like the zaqef qaton and tipḥa break the clause rhythmically:
- First, the noun-verb pair: חֲזֹון… חָזָה
- Then, the prepositional timeline: בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֧הוּ… מַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה
These accents help orally distinguish components in an otherwise dense sentence, guiding the reader through the prophetic scope.
Final Reflection: Syntax as Theological Framing
This verse may seem like a heading, but its syntax reveals more. Hebrew doesn’t use punctuation the way modern texts do—structure is punctuation. Through apposition, relative clauses, and temporal prepositions, the text grounds a transcendent vision in earthly kingship. In the language of the prophets, form follows function: what was seen is inseparable from who saw it and when. Thus begins Isaiah—with grammar that sees.
