מִדָּ֤ן נִשְׁמַע֙ נַחְרַ֣ת סוּסָ֗יו מִקֹּול֙ מִצְהֲלֹ֣ות אַבִּירָ֔יו רָעֲשָׁ֖ה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֗ואוּ וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלֹואָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃ ס
“From Dan is heard the snorting of his horses; at the sound of the neighing of his mighty ones the whole land trembles. And they came and devoured the land and its fullness, the city and those who dwell in it.
Morphology
- מִדָּן (mi-Dan) – Root: דן (Dan); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “From Dan”; Notes: Refers to the northernmost region of Yisraʾel, indicating the direction of the invading force.
- נִשְׁמַע (nishmaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is heard”; Notes: Passive voice emphasizes the sound reaching far.
- נַחְרַת (naḥrat) – Root: נחר (naḥar); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “snorting”; Notes: Loud breathing of war horses—evokes fear.
- סוּסָיו (susav) – Root: סוס (sus); Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his horses”; Notes: Refers to the enemy’s cavalry.
- מִקֹּול (mi-qol) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “at the sound of”; Notes: Begins parallel poetic line.
- מִצְהֲלֹות (mitzhalot) – Root: צהל (tsahal); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “neighing”; Notes: Continues the equestrian imagery.
- אַבִּירָיו (abbirayv) – Root: אבר (ʾavar); Form: Noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his mighty ones”; Notes: War horses or warriors—emphasizes strength and terror.
- רָעֲשָׁה (raʿashah) – Root: רעשׁ (raʿash); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “trembled”; Notes: Subject is “all the land.”
- כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (kol-haʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “all the land”; Notes: Total scope of fear and devastation.
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they came”; Notes: Introduces the destructive advance of the invaders.
- וַיֹּאכְלוּ (va-yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they devoured”; Notes: Metaphorical for total destruction.
- אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “land”; Notes: Object of their devastation.
- וּמְלֹואָהּ (u-meloʾah) – Root: מלא (maleʾ); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and its fullness”; Notes: Includes everything in the land—crops, people, goods.
- עִיר (ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “city”; Notes: Specific object of the invasion.
- וְיֹשְׁבֵי (ve-yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Conjunction + Qal active participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and the inhabitants of”; Notes: Those who dwell in the city.
- בָהּ (bah) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the city mentioned just before.