| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with kai {Καὶ | Kaí} “and,” linking this heavenly scene to the surrounding narrative. The nominative subject phōnē {φωνὴ | phō-nḗ} “voice” is qualified by the prepositional phrase apo tou thronou {ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου | apó tou thró-nou} “from the throne,” which identifies the source and underscores the authority of the utterance. The aorist verb exēlthen {ἐξῆλθεν | ex-êl-then} “came out” portrays the voice as a decisive event, while the participle legousa {λέγουσα | lé-gou-sa} “saying” is a circumstantial nominative participle that introduces the direct speech. Within the quoted command, the imperative Aineite {Αἰνεῖτε | Ai-neî-te} “praise” governs the dative phrase tō theō hēmōn {τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν | tôi theō̂ hēmō̂n} “to our God,” a dative of advantage that focuses the direction of praise toward God on behalf of the worshiping community. The addressees are expressed through pantes hoi douloi autou {πάντες οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ | pán-tes hoi doû-loi au-toû} “all His servants” and kai hoi phoboumenoi auton {καὶ οἱ φοβούμενοι αὐτόν | kaí hoi phō-boú-me-noi au-tón} “and those who fear Him,” two substantival participial groups marked by the article and coordinated with kai, highlighting both service and reverent fear. The closing phrase hoi mikroi kai hoi megaloi {οἱ μικροὶ καὶ οἱ μεγάλοι | hoi mi-kroí kaí hoi me-gá-loi} “the small and the great” is a merism, expressing the totality of those summoned regardless of status. The English renderings preserve the imperative force (“praise” / “give praise”), keep the vocative sense by addressing “all His servants” and “all who honor Him,” and maintain the climactic inclusiveness of “small” and “great.” |