וַיֵּֽרָאוּ֙ אֲפִ֣קֵי יָ֔ם יִגָּל֖וּ מֹסְדֹ֣ות תֵּבֵ֑ל בְּגַעֲרַ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מִנִּשְׁמַ֖ת ר֥וּחַ אַפֹּֽו׃
Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were uncovered, at the rebuke of YHWH, from the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
Morphology
- וַיֵּרָאוּ (vayyeraʾu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Nifal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were seen”; Notes: Passive form; implies divine exposure of hidden places.
- אֲפִקֵי (ʾafiqei) – Root: אפק (ʾafiq); Form: Construct plural masculine; Translation: “channels of”; Notes: Refers to the deep beds or pathways of the sea.
- יָם (yam) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sea”; Notes: A large body of water—typically the Mediterranean in biblical contexts.
- יִגָּלוּ (yiggalu) – Root: גלה (galah); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were uncovered”; Notes: Revealing what is usually hidden—divine unveiling.
- מֹסְדוֹת (mosdot) – Root: יסד (yasad); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “foundations”; Notes: Refers to the structural underpinnings of the earth.
- תֵּבֵל (tevel) – Root: תבל (tevel); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “world”; Notes: Denotes the inhabited earth or the entire globe.
- בְּגַעֲרַת (begaʿarat) – Root: גער (gaʿar); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the rebuke of”; Notes: Refers to a forceful divine command or scolding.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject issuing the rebuke that causes cosmic disruption.
- מִנִּשְׁמַת (min-nishmat) – Root: נשׁם (nasham); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “from the blast of”; Notes: Refers to a forceful exhalation or breath.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “breath” or “wind”; Notes: Often symbolic of divine power or spirit.
- אַפּוֹ (appo) – Root: אף (ʾaf); Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His nostrils”; Notes: Common anthropomorphism for divine anger.