עָֽצְמוּ־לִ֤י אַלְמְנֹתָו֙ מֵחֹ֣ול יַמִּ֔ים הֵבֵ֨אתִי לָהֶ֥ם עַל־אֵ֛ם בָּח֖וּר שֹׁדֵ֣ד בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם הִפַּ֤לְתִּי עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ פִּתְאֹ֔ם עִ֖יר וּבֶהָלֹֽות׃
Her widows have become numerous for Me more than the sand of the seas; I brought against them, against the mother of the young man, a destroyer at noon; I cast upon her suddenly anguish and terrors.
Morphology
- עָצְמוּ (ʿotzmu) – Root: עצם (ʿatsam); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “have become numerous”; Notes: Refers to the increase or multiplication of widows.
- לִי (li) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for Me”; Notes: Indicates divine possession or concern.
- אַלְמְנֹתָו (almenotav) – Root: אלמן (ʾalman); Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his widows”; Notes: Refers to the widows of the nation or city.
- מֵחֹול (me-ḥol) – Root: חול (ḥol); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “than the sand”; Notes: Comparative expression.
- יַמִּים (yammim) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “of seas”; Notes: Completes the simile; indicates great multitude.
- הֵבֵאתִי (heveti) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I brought”; Notes: Causative form; YHWH brings the agent of judgment.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “against them” or “to them”; Notes: Object of the verb “brought.”
- עַל־אֵם (ʿal-ʾem) – Root: אם (ʾem); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the mother”; Notes: Poetic image of targeting the matriarch or symbolic city.
- בָּחוּר (baḥur) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “young man”; Notes: May refer to a prominent or chosen one.
- שֹׁדֵד (shoded) – Root: שדד (shadad); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “a destroyer”; Notes: The agent of divine judgment, possibly an invader.
- בַּצָּהֳרָיִם (ba-tsohorayim) – Root: צהר (tsahar); Form: Preposition בְּ + dual noun; Translation: “at noon”; Notes: Indicates unexpected timing, usually a time of rest.
- הִפַּלְתִּי (hippalti) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I cast” or “I threw down”; Notes: Causative action by YHWH upon the subject.
- עָלֶיהָ (aleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “upon her”; Notes: Refers back to the “mother” (city/nation).
- פִּתְאֹם (pitʾom) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “suddenly”; Notes: Denotes the abruptness and surprise of the judgment.
- עִיר (ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “anguish” or “panic”; Notes: Possibly a rare noun for terror or commotion; may be linked to an Aramaic root or a poetic form.
- וּבֶהָלוֹת (u-vehalot) – Root: בהל (bahal); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural; Translation: “and terrors”; Notes: Adds to the scene of panic and destruction.