וְאֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ יַבִּ֑יט וְהִנֵּ֨ה צָרָ֤ה וַחֲשֵׁכָה֙ מְע֣וּף צוּקָ֔ה וַאֲפֵלָ֖ה מְנֻדָּֽח׃
And he shall look to the land, and behold, distress and darkness, gloom of anguish; and he is driven into thick darkness.
Morphology
- וְאֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ (ve-el-ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and to the land”; Notes: The land being looked toward, likely Judah or the broader land of Yisraʾel.
- יַבִּ֑יט (yabbit) – Root: נבט (nabat); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall look”; Notes: Indicates expectation or desperation in looking for help or hope.
- וְהִנֵּ֨ה (ve-hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection with conjunction; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the shocking or dramatic condition of the land.
- צָרָ֤ה (tsarah) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “distress”; Notes: A state of trouble, often associated with judgment or siege.
- וַחֲשֵׁכָה֙ (va-ḥashekhah) – Root: חשך (ḥashakh); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and darkness”; Notes: Symbol of ignorance, despair, or divine absence.
- מְע֣וּף (meʿuf) – Root: עוף (ʿuf); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “gloom” or “dimness”; Notes: Likely refers to fading light or blurred vision—mental or spiritual gloom.
- צוּקָ֔ה (tsuqah) – Root: צוק (tsuq); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “anguish” or “oppression”; Notes: Intense pressure, emotional or situational distress.
- וַאֲפֵלָ֖ה (va-ʾafelah) – Root: אפל (ʾafel); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and thick darkness”; Notes: Denotes impenetrable gloom, total lack of light.
- מְנֻדָּֽח (menuddakh) – Root: נדח (nadach); Form: Pual participle masculine singular; Translation: “driven away” or “banished”; Notes: Refers to exile, spiritual rejection, or hopeless dispersion.