כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנְנִי֙ מֵעִ֣יר עַל־בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֖י לֵ֣ב קָמָ֑י ר֖וּחַ מַשְׁחִֽית׃
Thus says YHWH: “Behold, I am stirring up against Bavel and against the inhabitants of Lev Qamai a destroying wind.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic declaration formula.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Formula of prophetic speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker, Israel’s God.
- הִנְנִי (hineni) – Root: —; Form: Interjection + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Behold, I”; Notes: Expresses imminent divine action.
- מֵעִיר (meʿir) – Root: עור; Form: Preposition מִן + Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “stirring up”; Notes: Depicts arousing hostile force.
- עַל־בָּבֶל (ʿal-Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Bavel”; Notes: The target of divine judgment.
- וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי (ve-el-yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Conjunction + preposition + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and against the inhabitants of”; Notes: Those dwelling within the region.
- לֵב (lev) – Root: לב; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “heart”; Notes: Symbolic of center or strength.
- קָמָי (qamayi) – Root: קום; Form: Proper noun (cryptic name, possibly an atbash for Chaldea); Translation: “Qamai”; Notes: Code name referring to the Chaldeans.
- רוּחַ (ruaḥ) – Root: רוח; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “wind/spirit”; Notes: Here, a destructive force.
- מַשְׁחִית (mashḥit) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Hifil participle feminine singular absolute; Translation: “destroying”; Notes: Personifies the wind as an agent of ruin.