זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו בָּזָ֨ה לְךָ֜ לָעֲגָ֣ה לְךָ֗ בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־צִיֹּ֔ון אַחֲרֶ֨יךָ֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הֵנִ֔יעָה בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃
This is the word that YHWH has spoken concerning him: ‘She has despised you, she has mocked you—the virgin daughter of Tsiyon. Behind you she has shaken her head, the daughter of Yerushalayim.
Morphology
- זֶ֣ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Introduces a formal prophetic statement.
- הַדָּבָ֔ר (ha-davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the word”; Notes: Refers to the prophetic oracle.
- אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר (asher-dibber) – Root: דבר (diber); Form: Relative pronoun + Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “that [He] has spoken”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s declaration.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the speech act.
- עָלָ֑יו (ʿalav) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “concerning him”; Notes: Refers to Sanḥeriv, king of Ashshur.
- בָּזָ֨ה (bazah) – Root: בזה (bazah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “She has despised”; Notes: The subject is “the virgin daughter of Tsiyon.”
- לְךָ֜ (lekha) – Root: ל (le) + אתה (attah); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the Assyrian king.
- לָעֲגָ֣ה (laʿagah) – Root: לעג (laʿag); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “She has mocked”; Notes: Parallel verb reinforcing contempt.
- בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־צִיֹּ֔ון (betulat bat-Tsiyon) – Root: בתולה (betulah), בת (bat), ציון (Tsiyon); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “the virgin daughter of Tsiyon”; Notes: Poetic name for Yerushalayim/Yehudah, expressing purity and dignity.
- אַחֲרֶ֨יךָ֙ (aḥarekha) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “behind you”; Notes: Spatial reference mocking the retreating king.
- רֹ֣אשׁ (roʾsh) – Root: ראשׁ (roʾsh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “head”; Notes: Instrument used in the next verb.
- הֵנִ֔יעָה (heniʿah) – Root: נוד (nuaʿ); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “she has shaken”; Notes: Gesture of mockery or dismissal.
- בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם (bat Yerushalayim) – Root: בת (bat), ירושלם (Yerushalayim); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “daughter of Yerushalayim”; Notes: Parallel expression to “daughter of Tsiyon.”