מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ כַּיְאֹ֣ר יַֽעֲלֶ֔ה וְכַנְּהָרֹ֖ות יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ מָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַֽעֲלֶה֙ אֲכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ אֹבִ֥ידָה עִ֖יר וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃
Mitsrayim rises like the Nile, and like the rivers its waters surge. And he said, ‘I will rise, I will cover the earth; I will destroy city and those who dwell in it.’
Morphology
- מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים; Form: Proper noun, dual form; Translation: “Mitsrayim” (Egypt); Notes: Often used with dual ending to reflect the Upper and Lower regions.
- כַּיְאֹ֣ר (ka-yeʾor) – Root: יאור; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun; Translation: “like the Nile”; Notes: Symbol of Egyptian power and pride.
- יַֽעֲלֶ֔ה (yaʿăleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “will rise”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to growing military force.
- וְכַנְּהָרֹ֖ות (ve-kannəhārōt) – Root: נהר; Form: Conjunction + preposition כְּ + plural noun with article; Translation: “and like the rivers”; Notes: Continues the simile for overwhelming floodwaters.
- יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ (yitgōʿăshū) – Root: געשׁ; Form: Hitpael imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they will surge,” “they will rage”; Notes: Depicts tumultuous movement, symbolic of chaos or attack.
- מָ֑יִם (māyim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun masculine plural (plural of majesty); Translation: “waters”; Notes: Subject of the previous verb.
- וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (vayyōmer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אַֽעֲלֶה֙ (ʾaʿăleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal cohortative 1cs; Translation: “I will rise”; Notes: Expresses determination or resolve.
- אֲכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ (ʾakhasseh-ʾerets) – Root: כסה; Form: Piel imperfect 1cs + noun; Translation: “I will cover the land”; Notes: Piel intensifies the action — total engulfing.
- אֹבִ֥ידָה (ʾōvīdāh) – Root: אבד; Form: Hifil cohortative 1cs; Translation: “I will destroy”; Notes: The Hifil conveys causative force — to bring destruction.
- עִ֖יר (ʿīr) – Root: עיר; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “city”; Notes: Object of the destruction.
- וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי (vĕyōshĕvē) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle mp construct; Translation: “those who dwell”; Notes: Construct with following word.
- בָֽהּ (bāh) – Root: ב־ + היא; Form: Preposition + 3fs pronominal suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the city.