הַשְׁמִ֣יעוּ אֶל־בָּבֶ֣ל רַ֠בִּים כָּל־דֹּ֨רְכֵי קֶ֜שֶׁת חֲנ֧וּ עָלֶ֣יהָ סָבִ֗יב אַל־יְהִי־פְּלֵטָ֔ה שַׁלְּמוּ־לָ֣הּ כְּפָעֳלָ֔הּ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשְׂתָ֖ה עֲשׂוּ־לָ֑הּ כִּ֧י אֶל־יְהוָ֛ה זָ֖דָה אֶל־קְדֹ֥ושׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
“Make it heard against Bavel to many, all who bend the bow; encamp against her round about, let there be no escape. Repay her according to her work; according to all that she has done, do to her, for against YHWH she has acted proudly, against the Holy One of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- הַשְׁמִיעוּ (hashmiʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “Make heard/proclaim”; Notes: Command to announce publicly.
- אֶל־בָּבֶל (el-Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Bavel”; Notes: Identifies the target of the proclamation.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) – Root: רבב; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Refers to large numbers of warriors.
- כָּל־דֹּרְכֵי קֶשֶׁת (kol-dorchei qeshet) – Root: דרך + קשת; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “all who bend the bow”; Notes: Refers to archers.
- חֲנוּ (ḥanu) – Root: חנה; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “encamp!”; Notes: A military command.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon (feminine).
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Adverb; Translation: “round about”; Notes: Indicates surrounding in siege.
- אַל־יְהִי (ʾal-yehi) – Root: היה; Form: Negative particle + Qal jussive 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “let there not be”; Notes: Prohibition expressing inevitability.
- פְּלֵטָה (peletah) – Root: פלט; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “escape”; Notes: Refers to survivors or fugitives.
- שַׁלְּמוּ־לָהּ (shallemu-lah) – Root: שלם; Form: Piel imperative 2nd masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “repay her”; Notes: Command to exact recompense.
- כְּפָעֳלָהּ (ke-faʿolah) – Root: פעל; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “according to her work”; Notes: Retribution principle.
- כְּכֹל (ke-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “according to all”; Notes: Reinforces full measure of repayment.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that/which”; Notes: Introduces subordinate clause.
- עָשְׂתָה (ʿasetah) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she has done”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s deeds.
- עֲשׂוּ־לָהּ (ʿasu-lah) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “do to her”; Notes: Call for reciprocal action.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for/because”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- אֶל־יְהוָה (el-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition אֶל + divine name; Translation: “against YHWH”; Notes: Marks the object of Babylon’s arrogance.
- זָדָה (zadah) – Root: זיד; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she acted proudly”; Notes: Describes Babylon’s arrogance.
- אֶל־קְדֹושׁ (el-qedosh) – Root: קדשׁ; Form: Preposition אֶל + noun/adjective masculine singular; Translation: “against the Holy One”; Notes: Title for YHWH emphasizing His holiness.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies the covenant people with their Holy One.