וְהֶחֱרִ֣ים יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֚ת לְשֹׁ֣ון יָם־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהֵנִ֥יף יָדֹ֛ו עַל־הַנָּהָ֖ר בַּעְיָ֣ם רוּחֹ֑ו וְהִכָּ֨הוּ֙ לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה נְחָלִ֔ים וְהִדְרִ֖יךְ בַּנְּעָלִֽים׃
And YHWH shall utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Mitsrayim, and He shall wave His hand over the River with the heat of His wind, and shall strike it into seven streams, and shall cause them to walk over in sandals.
Morphology
- וְהֶחֱרִים (ve-heḥerim) – Root: חרם (ḥaram); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunctive vav; Translation: “And He shall utterly destroy”; Notes: Often denotes complete ban or dedication to destruction.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֵת לְשׁוֹן (et leshon) – Root: לשׁון (lashon); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the tongue of”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to a projecting part of the sea.
- יָם־מִצְרַיִם (yam-Mitsrayim) – Root: ים (yam) + מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the sea of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Likely the Gulf of Suez or northern Red Sea.
- וְהֵנִיף (ve-henif) – Root: נוף (nuf); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunctive vav; Translation: “and He shall wave”; Notes: Gesture of divine power or ritual motion.
- יָדֹו (yado) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His hand”; Notes: Symbol of authority and action.
- עַל־הַנָּהָר (ʿal-ha-nahar) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “over the River”; Notes: Refers to the Euphrates, often “the River” par excellence.
- בַּעְיָם (ba-ʿyam) – Root: עִים (ʿayom, likely related to עִים/עִוֵּם for storm or heat); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with the heat”; Notes: Uncommon word; interpreted as intense blast or wrathful wind.
- רוּחֹו (ruḥo) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His wind”; Notes: Divine breath or forceful spirit.
- וְהִכָּהוּ (ve-hikkahu) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix and conjunctive vav; Translation: “and He shall strike it”; Notes: Indicates a forceful blow or action of judgment.
- לְשִׁבְעָה (le-shivʿah) – Root: שבע (shevaʿ); Form: Preposition + cardinal number masculine; Translation: “into seven”; Notes: Symbolic of completeness or division.
- נְחָלִים (neḥalim) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “streams”; Notes: Indicates separate channels or distributaries.
- וְהִדְרִיךְ (ve-hidrikh) – Root: דרך (darakh); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with conjunctive vav; Translation: “and He shall cause to tread”; Notes: Guides or leads in a prepared path.
- בַּנְּעָלִים (ba-neʿalim) – Root: נעל (naʿal); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “in sandals”; Notes: Emphasizes ease and safety in travel, unlike barefoot escape.