מִקֶּ֤צֶף יְהוָה֙ לֹ֣א תֵשֵׁ֔ב וְהָיְתָ֥ה שְׁמָמָ֖ה כֻּלָּ֑הּ כֹּ֚ל עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־בָּבֶ֔ל יִשֹּׁ֥ם וְיִשְׁרֹ֖ק עַל־כָּל־מַכֹּותֶֽיהָ׃
From the wrath of YHWH she shall not be inhabited, but she shall be wholly a desolation. Everyone who passes over Bavel shall be appalled and shall hiss over all her wounds.
Morphology
- מִקֶּצֶף (mi-qatsef) – Root: קצף; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the wrath”; Notes: Introduces the cause of desolation.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The source of wrath and judgment.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb following.
- תֵשֵׁב (teshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “shall be inhabited”; Notes: Refers to Babylon (feminine) no longer being dwelt in.
- וְהָיְתָה (ve-hayetah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and she shall be”; Notes: Continues the pronouncement of judgment.
- שְׁמָמָה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a desolation”; Notes: Describes complete ruin.
- כֻּלָּהּ (kullah) – Root: כל; Form: Noun “all” + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “wholly/altogether”; Notes: Totality of destruction emphasized.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “everyone”; Notes: Subject of the next clause.
- עֹבֵר (ʿover) – Root: עבר; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “who passes”; Notes: Refers to passers-by or witnesses.
- עַל־בָּבֶל (ʿal-Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “over Bavel”; Notes: Babylon as the object of astonishment.
- יִשֹּׁם (yishom) – Root: שׁמם; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “shall be appalled”; Notes: Expresses horrified astonishment.
- וְיִשְׁרֹק (ve-yishroq) – Root: שרק; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and shall hiss”; Notes: Derisive gesture of mockery or astonishment.
- עַל־כָּל־מַכֹּותֶיהָ (ʿal-kol-makkoteha) – Root: נכה; Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural construct + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “over all her wounds”; Notes: Refers to the blows/strikes inflicted on Babylon.