כְּמַהְפֵּכַ֨ת אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־סְדֹ֧ם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־שְׁכֵנֶ֖יהָ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה לֹֽא־יֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹֽא־יָג֥וּר בָּ֖הּ בֶּן־אָדָֽם׃
As when God overthrew Sedom and ʿAmora and her neighbors,” declares YHWH, “no man shall dwell there, and no son of man shall sojourn in it.
Morphology
- כְּמַהְפֵּכַת (ke-mahpekhath) – Root: הפך; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “as the overthrow of”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing Babylon’s fate with Sedom and ʿAmorah.
- אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural in form, singular in meaning; Translation: “God”; Notes: Subject of the overthrow.
- אֶת־סְדֹם (et-Sedom) – Root: סדם; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Sedom”; Notes: City destroyed in Genesis 19.
- וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָה (ve-et-ʿAmorah) – Root: עמר; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “and ʿAmorah”; Notes: Twin city destroyed alongside Sedom.
- וְאֶת־שְׁכֵנֶיהָ (ve-et-shekheneyha) – Root: שׁכן; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + noun masculine plural construct + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and her neighbors”; Notes: Refers to cities surrounding Sedom and ʿAmorah.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun construct + divine name; Translation: “declaration of YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic affirmation formula.
- לֹא־יֵשֵׁב (lo-yeshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “shall not dwell”; Notes: Refers to permanent habitation.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: —; Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s site.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man”; Notes: Denotes any human individual.
- וְלֹא־יָגוּר (ve-lo-yagur) – Root: גור; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “nor shall sojourn”; Notes: Refers to temporary habitation.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon (feminine).
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: בן + אדם; Form: Construct chain masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: Hebrew idiom for any mortal human being.