Introduction to Ezra 10:1
Ezra 10:1 describes Ezra’s public prayer and confession, which deeply moves the people of Israel, leading them to a communal act of repentance. This verse contains multiple hitpa‘el (התפעל) verbs, a Hebrew verb stem that typically expresses reflexive, reciprocal, or iterative action.
The verse consists of:
- Two hitpa‘el verbs describing Ezra’s actions (וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל, “as he was praying”; וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו, “as he was confessing”).
- A series of participles describing his emotional state (בֹּכֶה, “weeping”; וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל, “prostrating himself”).
- The reaction of the people, showing the emotional and social impact of Ezra’s actions.
This study will analyze the morphology and syntactic function of the hitpa‘el verbs in this passage, their role in expressing Ezra’s emotional and religious devotion, and their theological significance.
וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל עֶזְרָא֙ וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו בֹּכֶה֙ וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים נִקְבְּצוּ֩ אֵלָ֨יו מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֜ל קָהָ֣ל רַב־מְאֹ֗ד אֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ וִֽילָדִ֔ים כִּֽי־בָכ֥וּ הָעָ֖ם הַרְבֵּה־בֶֽכֶה׃
Analysis of Key Words/Phrases
- וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל (u’khehitpallel)
- Root: פָּלַל (“to pray”)
- Form: Hitpa‘el infinitive construct with conjunction כְ (“as”)
- Translation: “As he was praying”
- Function: Reflexive form, indicating self-directed or deeply personal prayer.
- וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו (u’khehitvadoto)
- Root: יָדָה (“to confess, acknowledge”)
- Form: Hitpa‘el infinitive construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix (“his confessing”)
- Translation: “As he was confessing”
- Function: Expresses personal, intensive confession of sin.
- בֹּכֶה (bocheh)
- Root: בָּכָה (“to weep”)
- Form: Qal active participle, masculine singular
- Translation: “Weeping”
- Function: Ongoing emotional action, expressing sorrow.
- וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל (umitnapel)
- Root: נָפַל (“to fall, prostrate”)
- Form: Hitpa‘el participle, masculine singular
- Translation: “Prostrating himself”
- Function: Reflexive form, showing an act of humility before God.
Explanation of Grammatical Function
The Reflexive and Intensive Nature of the Hitpa‘el Stem
The hitpa‘el stem often denotes reflexive actions, meaning the subject performs the action on himself.
וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל (“as he was praying”) → Ezra engages in deep, personal prayer.
וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו (“as he was confessing”) → Expresses intense self-examination and acknowledgment of sin.
The Use of Participle Forms for Continuous Action
בֹּכֶה (“weeping”) and וּמִתְנַפֵּ֔ל (“prostrating himself”) → These participles depict ongoing, continuous actions, reinforcing Ezra’s sustained emotional state.
The Theological and Social Impact of Ezra’s Actions
The hitpa‘el forms emphasize a deeply personal spiritual experience, yet they result in a public response.
Ezra’s individual repentance moves the community to weep and gather (נִקְבְּצוּ֩, “they assembled”).
Theological Implications of the Hitpa‘el Verbs in Ezra 10:1
- The Role of Personal and Corporate Repentance
Ezra’s confession leads the nation into collective sorrow, showing how one individual’s spiritual devotion can influence an entire community.
- Emotional Expression as Part of Worship
The hitpa‘el participles highlight the embodied nature of repentance—prayer, confession, weeping, and prostration all contribute to spiritual renewal.
- The Connection Between Prayer and Confession
The pairing of “praying” and “confessing” (וּכְהִתְפַּלֵּ֤ל… וּכְ֨הִתְוַדֹּתֹ֔ו) suggests that true prayer includes confession and humility before God.
The Function of Hitpa‘el Verbs in Hebrew Worship Language
Ezra 10:1 demonstrates the expressive power of the hitpa‘el stem, where personal and collective repentance are intertwined. The morphology of these verbs conveys deep internal struggle and humility, while the progression from Ezra’s prayer to communal weeping emphasizes the social impact of true spiritual devotion.
Thus, this verse serves as both a grammatical model of Hebrew reflexive forms and a theological statement on the power of repentance and intercession.
