וְֽנִבְהָ֓לוּ צִירִ֤ים וַֽחֲבָלִים֙ יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן כַּיֹּולֵדָ֖ה יְחִיל֑וּן אִ֤ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֨הוּ֙ יִתְמָ֔הוּ פְּנֵ֥י לְהָבִ֖ים פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃
And they shall be dismayed, pangs and sorrows shall seize them; like a woman in labor they shall writhe; each man shall look in astonishment at his companion; faces of flames are their faces.
Morphology
- וְנִבְהָלוּ (ve-nivhalu) – Root: בהל (bahal); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with conjunctive vav; Translation: “And they shall be dismayed”; Notes: Describes sudden fear or terror.
- צִירִים (tsirim) – Root: ציר (tsir); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “pangs”; Notes: Used for labor pains or acute distress.
- וַחֲבָלִים (va-ḥavalim) – Root: חבל (ḥaval); Form: Noun masculine plural with conjunctive vav; Translation: “and sorrows”; Notes: Parallel to pangs, intensifies the suffering imagery.
- יֹאחֵזוּן (yoʾḥezun) – Root: אחז (ʾaḥaz); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall seize them”; Notes: Refers to gripping force or compulsion.
- כַּיֹּולֵדָה (ka-yoledah) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Preposition + Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “like a woman in labor”; Notes: Metaphor for extreme anguish or panic.
- יְחִיל֑וּן (yeḥilun) – Root: חיל (ḥil); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall writhe”; Notes: Expresses trembling or contortion from pain or fear.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Individual human subject.
- אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ (el-reʿehu) – Root: רעע (reʿa); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his companion”; Notes: Implies mutual astonishment or seeking explanation.
- יִתְמָהוּ (yitmahu) – Root: תמה (tamaha); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be astonished”; Notes: Indicates utter confusion or wonder.
- פְּנֵי (penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “faces of”; Notes: Introduces the comparison or description.
- לְהָבִים (lehavim) – Root: להב (lahav); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “flames”; Notes: Figurative for terror, fear, or rage reflected in their faces.
- פְּנֵיהֶם (peneihem) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their faces”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis and closure of the image.