וְהַוָּה קַל שׁוֹפָרָא אָזִיל וְתַקִּיף לַחֲדָא משֶׁה הֲוָה מְמַלֵּיל וּמִן קֳדָם יְיָ הֲוָה מִתְעַנֵי בְקַל נָעִים וּמְשַׁבַּח וּנְעִימָתָא מַלְיָא
And the sound of the shofar kept going and becoming very strong; Moshe was speaking, and from before YHWH, there came a pleasant voice responding and praising—full of melody.
Poetic Reflection: The Mountain that Listened
The giving of the Torah was not only law—it was music. Targum Jonathan’s rendering of Exodus 19:19 transforms Sinai from a site of thunder into a place of harmony. This verse is a symphony of participles and sound-related nouns, where Moshe speaks and YHWH replies in lyrical cadence.
In this lesson, we explore the grammar of heavenly responsiveness, where ongoing action and musical descriptors are crafted with precision.
1. וְהַוָּה קַל שׁוֹפָרָא אָזִיל וְתַקִּיף לַחֲדָא — “And the sound of the shofar kept going and becoming strong more and more”
- וְהַוָּה — Peʿal imperfect 3ms of הוה, “was” — iterative/ongoing past.
- קַל שׁוֹפָרָא — “the sound of the shofar,” construct phrase.
- אָזִיל — Peʿal participle of אזל, “going,” showing continuity.
- וְתַקִּיף — “and strengthening,” Peʿal participle from תקף.
- לַחֲדָא — “increasingly,” literally “to one” or “together,” an idiomatic Aramaic intensifier.
2. מֹשֶׁה הֲוָה מְמַלֵּיל — “Moshe was speaking”
- מְמַלֵּיל — Paʿel participle of מלל, emphasizing formal, reverent speech.
- The structure הֲוָה + participle expresses progressive past.
3. וּמִן קֳדָם יְיָ הֲוָה מִתְעַנֵי — “And from before YHWH there came a response”
- מִתְעַנֵי — Hitpaʿel participle of ענה, “to answer,” conveying a reciprocal, gentle response.
- Use of Hitpaʿel reflects mutual, relational engagement—YHWH is not thundering but responding in kind.
4. בְקַל נָעִים וּמְשַׁבַּח וּנְעִימָתָא מַלְיָא — “With a pleasant voice, praising and full of melody”
- בְקַל נָעִים — “with a pleasant voice”; adjective + noun.
- מְשַׁבַּח — Paʿel participle of שבח, “praising,” indicates ongoing exaltation.
- נְעִימָתָא — “melody” or “tune,” an abstract noun of beauty.
- מַלְיָא — “full,” feminine adjective modifying נְעִימָתָא.
Sound and Syntax Table
| Phrase | Function | Grammatical Feature |
|---|---|---|
| אָזִיל וְתַקִּיף | Ongoing intensification | Paʿel participles indicating continuous action |
| מְמַלֵּיל | Formal speech | Paʿel participle used progressively |
| מִתְעַנֵי | Responsive utterance | Hitpaʿel participle reflecting reciprocal tone |
| נְעִימָתָא מַלְיָא | Descriptive elevation | Abstract noun + adjective in agreement |
From Roots to Reverence
The Torah was not delivered in monotone. In Targum Jonathan’s retelling, heaven’s voice doesn’t crush—it harmonizes. Divine speech is not blunt declaration but musical interaction, balancing power (תקיף) with sweetness (נעים). The participles stretch across time, binding Moshe’s voice to YHWH’s, making revelation not only law, but lyric.
In Aramaic, syntax sings. And Sinai doesn’t just shake—it resonates.
