נֻ֣סוּ מִתֹּ֣וךְ בָּבֶ֗ל וּמַלְּטוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ נַפְשֹׁ֔ו אַל־תִּדַּ֖מּוּ בַּעֲוֹנָ֑הּ כִּי֩ עֵ֨ת נְקָמָ֥ה הִיא֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה גְּמ֕וּל ה֥וּא מְשַׁלֵּ֖ם לָֽהּ׃
Flee from the midst of Bavel, and let each man deliver his soul. Do not be destroyed in her iniquity, for it is a time of vengeance for YHWH; recompense He is repaying to her.
Morphology
- נֻסוּ (nusu) – Root: נוס; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “Flee!”; Notes: Urgent call to escape impending destruction.
- מִתּוֹךְ (mi-tokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from the midst of”; Notes: Indicates separation out of danger.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Babylon, the place of judgment.
- וּמַלְּטוּ (u-malleṭu) – Root: מלט; Form: Piel imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “and deliver!”; Notes: Urges personal escape, emphatic with Piel stem.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man/each one”; Notes: Generic term for individuals.
- נַפְשׁוֹ (nafsho) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his soul/life”; Notes: Refers to survival or preservation of life.
- אַל־תִּדַּמּוּ (al-tiddamu) – Root: דמה; Form: Niphal imperfect 2nd masculine plural jussive; Translation: “do not be destroyed”; Notes: Niphal passive—warns against sharing Babylon’s fate.
- בַּעֲוֹנָהּ (ba-ʿavonah) – Root: עון; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her iniquity”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s accumulated sin.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason for the command.
- עֵת (ʿet) – Root: עת; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “time”; Notes: Appointed occasion.
- נְקָמָה (neqamah) – Root: נקם; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “vengeance”; Notes: Refers to divine retribution.
- הִיא (hi) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “it is”; Notes: Stresses the certainty of the appointed time.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + divine name; Translation: “for YHWH”; Notes: The vengeance belongs to God alone.
- גְּמוּל (gemul) – Root: גמל; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “recompense/repayment”; Notes: Act of divine justice.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “he/it is”; Notes: Emphasizes God as subject of action.
- מְשַׁלֵּם (meshallem) – Root: שׁלם; Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “repaying”; Notes: Piel stem intensifies, repayment in full measure.
- לָהּ (lah) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon as the recipient of God’s recompense.