הֲלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ לְמֵֽרָחֹוק֙ אֹתָ֣הּ עָשִׂ֔יתִי לְמִ֥ימֵי קֶ֖דֶם וִֽיצַרְתִּ֑יהָ עַתָּ֣ה הֲבֵיאתִ֗יהָ וּתְהִ֗י לַהְשֹׁ֛ות גַּלִּ֥ים נִצִּ֖ים עָרִ֥ים בְּצֻרֹֽות׃
Have you not heard? From afar I have done it; from days of old I formed it. Now I have brought it to pass, and it is for laying waste fortified cities into heaps of ruins.
Morphology
- הֲלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֤עְתָּ (halo-shamaʿta) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Interrogative particle + negative particle + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Have you not heard?”; Notes: Rhetorical question challenging ignorance of divine sovereignty.
- לְמֵֽרָחֹוק֙ (le-meraḥoq) – Root: רחק (raḥoq); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from afar”; Notes: Refers to temporal or spatial distance—ancient past.
- אֹתָ֣הּ (otah) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the plan or event ordained by YHWH.
- עָשִׂ֔יתִי (ʿasiti) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have done [it]”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s preordained purpose.
- לְמִ֥ימֵי קֶ֖דֶם (le-mimei qedem) – Root: מים (mayim), קדם (qedem); Form: Preposition + plural construct noun + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from days of old”; Notes: Indicates the ancient origin of the divine plan.
- וִֽיצַרְתִּ֑יהָ (vayitsartihah) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and I formed it”; Notes: Expresses divine intentional design.
- עַתָּ֣ה (ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Marks transition from past planning to present fulfillment.
- הֲבֵיאתִ֗יהָ (haveʾitihah) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “I have brought it”; Notes: Refers to the present enactment of YHWH’s plan.
- וּתְהִ֗י (u-tehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and it became”; Notes: Describes the resulting outcome.
- לַהְשֹׁ֛ות (lahshot) – Root: שאה (shaʾah); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “to lay waste”; Notes: Purpose clause—YHWH’s intent for devastation.
- גַּלִּ֥ים נִצִּ֖ים (gallim nitsim) – Root: גלל (galal), נצה (natsats); Form: Noun masculine plural + adjective masculine plural; Translation: “heaps of ruins”; Notes: Describes total destruction of once-strong places.
- עָרִ֥ים (ʿarim) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “cities”; Notes: Refers to targets of divine judgment.
- בְּצֻרֹֽות (batsurot) – Root: בצר (batsar); Form: Passive participle feminine plural; Translation: “fortified”; Notes: Emphasizes their former strength now turned to ruin.