Jeremiah 51:9

רְפָאנוּ אֶת־בָּבֶל֙ וְלֹ֣א נִרְפָּ֔תָה עִזְב֕וּהָ וְנֵלֵ֖ךְ אִ֣ישׁ לְאַרְצֹ֑ו כִּֽי־נָגַ֤ע אֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִשְׁפָּטָ֔הּ וְנִשָּׂ֖א עַד־שְׁחָקִֽים׃

We would have healed Bavel, but she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each man to his land, for her judgment has reached to the heavens and is lifted up to the skies.

Morphology

1. רְפָאנוּ (refaʾnu) – Root: רפא; Form: Qal perfect 1st common plural; Translation: “we would have healed”; Notes: Expresses attempted action that failed.
2. אֶת־ (et) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [untranslatable]; Notes: Marks the following noun as the object.
3. בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Babylon is the object of attempted healing.
4. וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Contrasts the attempted healing with its failure.
5. נִרְפָּתָה (nirpatah) – Root: רפא; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she is not healed”; Notes: Passive, referring to Babylon’s incurable condition.
6. עִזְבוּהָ (ʿizvuha) – Root: עזב; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “forsake her”; Notes: Command to abandon Babylon.
7. וְנֵלֵךְ (ve-nelekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal cohortative 1st common plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and let us go”; Notes: Expression of collective decision.
8. אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “man/each one”; Notes: Generic reference to individuals.
9. לְאַרְצוֹ (le-artzo) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular construct + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his land”; Notes: Return to personal homeland.
10. כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Gives reason for abandoning Babylon.
11. נָגַע (nagaʿ) – Root: נגע; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “has reached”; Notes: Used figuratively of Babylon’s judgment extending high.
12. אֶל־הַשָּׁמַיִם (el-ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים; Form: Preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the heavens”; Notes: Hyperbolic expression of enormity.
13. מִשְׁפָּטָהּ (mishpatah) – Root: שׁפט; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her judgment”; Notes: Refers to divine sentence on Babylon.
14. וְנִשָּׂא (ve-nissa) – Root: נשא; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and is lifted up”; Notes: Babylon’s guilt has risen visibly.
15. עַד־שְׁחָקִים (ʿad-sheḥaqim) – Root: שׁחק; Form: Preposition עַד + noun masculine plural; Translation: “unto the skies”; Notes: Poetic parallel to “the heavens,” emphasizing vast reach.