“Send Me!” — Volition, Syntax, and the Prophetic Calling in Isaiah 6:8

וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע אֶת־קֹ֤ול אֲדֹנָי֙ אֹמֵ֔ר אֶת־מִ֥י אֶשְׁלַ֖ח וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ וָאֹמַ֖ר הִנְנִ֥י שְׁלָחֵֽנִי׃ (Isaiah 6:8)

Morphology

1. וָאֶשְׁמַ֞ע (vaʾeshmaʿ) – Root: שָׁמַע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1cs (consecutive imperfect, first common singular); Translation: “And I heard”; Notes: The wayyiqtol form advances the narrative past action in Biblical Hebrew prose.
2. אֶת־קֹ֤ול (ʾet-qol) – Root: קוֹל; Form: masculine singular construct; Translation: “the voice of”; Notes: Construct chain linking to the following proper name.
3. אֲדֹנָי֙ (ʾAdonay) – Root: אָדוֹן; Form: proper noun with pronominal plural suffix; Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Reverent plural form often referring to YHWH.
4. אֹמֵ֔ר (ʾomer) – Root: אָמַר; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Participial form used here to indicate ongoing speech.
5. אֶת־מִ֥י (ʾet-mi) – Root: מִי; Form: interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Whom”; Notes: Accusative direct object marker with the interrogative.
6. אֶשְׁלַ֖ח (ʾeshlaḥ) – Root: שָׁלַח; Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “shall I send”; Notes: Volitional future nuance in context of divine deliberation.
7. וּמִ֣י יֵֽלֶךְ־לָ֑נוּ (umi yeilekh-lanu) – Root: הָלַךְ; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “and who will go for us?”; Notes: The plural “for us” hints at divine majesty or heavenly court.
8. וָאֹמַ֖ר (vaʾomar) – Root: אָמַר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1cs; Translation: “And I said”; Notes: Narrative continuation.
9. הִנְנִ֥י (hineni) – Root: הֵן; Form: Interjection with 1cs suffix; Translation: “Here I am!”; Notes: Common expression of readiness and availability.
10. שְׁלָחֵֽנִי (shelaḥeni) – Root: שָׁלַח; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with 1cs suffix; Translation: “send me!”; Notes: Volitional imperative showing the prophet’s willingness.

Syntax Spotlight: Who Will Go for Us?

This verse presents a rare and dramatic divine question: “Who will go for us?” The plural “for us” (לָנוּ) evokes the heavenly council scene found in several prophetic texts. The use of parallel imperfects (אֶשְׁלַח, יֵלֶךְ) reveals deliberation, not lack of knowledge — a rhetorical device inviting participation in the divine mission. Isaiah’s response begins with the deictic cry הִנְנִי, followed by an imperative request שְׁלָחֵנִי, merging humble availability with assertive agency.

The Grammar of Readiness

Isaiah’s willingness is marked grammatically in two ways: (1) the emphatic הִנְנִי (“Here I am”), and (2) the imperative verb שְׁלָחֵנִי with its attached pronominal suffix — not merely “Send!” but “Send me.” This combination, compact yet rich, reflects the prophet’s initiative and reflects a common biblical pattern in prophetic call narratives. The interplay between imperfect verbs (divine deliberation) and imperative (prophetic submission) structures the verse as a divine-human dialogue of mission.

Final Echo: Prophetic Identity in a Single Verse

Isaiah 6:8 encapsulates the essence of prophetic vocation. The grammatical forms — wayyiqtol storytelling, participial speech, imperfect deliberation, and imperative surrender — all merge to depict one of the most iconic moments of biblical mission. Language here is not only a tool of communication but a mirror of divine-human encounter, and the prophet’s own identity is shaped by his verbal response: “Send me.”