רֹ֤עוּ עַמִּים֙ וָחֹ֔תּוּ וְהַֽאֲזִ֔ינוּ כֹּ֖ל מֶרְחַקֵּי־אָ֑רֶץ הִתְאַזְּר֣וּ וָחֹ֔תּוּ הִֽתְאַזְּר֖וּ וָחֹֽתּוּ׃
Rage, O peoples, and be shattered! And give ear, all you far reaches of the earth! Gird yourselves and be shattered! Gird yourselves and be shattered!
Morphology
- רֹ֤עוּ (roʿu) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Rage”; Notes: Command directed at nations, expressing their tumultuous intent or hostility.
- עַמִּים (ʿammim) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “peoples”; Notes: Refers to the nations or ethnic groups hostile to YHWH’s purposes.
- וָחֹ֔תּוּ (va-ḥottu) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and be shattered”; Notes: Predicts divine judgment and failure of the hostile peoples.
- וְהַאֲזִ֔ינוּ (ve-haʾazinu) – Root: אזן (ʾazan); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and give ear”; Notes: A call for attentive listening to the divine decree.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “all of”; Notes: Introduces the universal audience.
- מֶרְחַקֵּי־אָ֑רֶץ (merḥaqei-aretz) – Root: רחק (raḥaq), ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Construct plural + noun feminine singular; Translation: “far reaches of the earth”; Notes: Extends the address to the ends of the world.
- הִתְאַזְּר֣וּ (hitʾazzaru) – Root: אזר (ʾazar); Form: Hitpael imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Gird yourselves”; Notes: A call to prepare for battle—likely ironic in context.
- וָחֹ֔תּוּ (va-ḥottu) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and be shattered”; Notes: Repeated refrain reinforcing the futility of resisting YHWH.
- הִתְאַזְּר֖וּ (hitʾazzaru) – Root: אזר (ʾazar); Form: Hitpael imperative masculine plural (repetition); Translation: “Gird yourselves”; Notes: Parallelism serves both as warning and mockery.
- וָחֹֽתּוּ (va-ḥottu) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperative masculine plural (final repetition); Translation: “and be shattered”; Notes: Strong poetic emphasis—destruction is certain despite preparation.