אֶל־חֹומֹ֨ת בָּבֶ֜ל שְׂאוּ־נֵ֗ס הַחֲזִ֨יקוּ֙ הַמִּשְׁמָ֔ר הָקִ֨ימוּ֙ שֹֽׁמְרִ֔ים הָכִ֖ינוּ הָאֹֽרְבִ֑ים כִּ֚י גַּם־זָמַ֣ם יְהוָ֔ה גַּם־עָשָׂ֕ה אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃
Against the walls of Bavel lift up a banner, strengthen the watch, set up the guards, prepare the ambushes; for YHWH has both purposed and has done that which He spoke against the inhabitants of Bavel.
Morphology
- אֶל־חֹומֹת (el-ḥomot) – Root: חומה; Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “against the walls of”; Notes: Denotes direction or target.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: The object of divine judgment.
- שְׂאוּ־נֵס (seʾu-nes) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural + noun masculine singular; Translation: “lift up a banner”; Notes: Military signal for assembling or attack.
- הַחֲזִיקוּ (haḥaziqu) – Root: חזק; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “strengthen”; Notes: Urging reinforcement of defenses.
- הַמִּשְׁמָר (ha-mishmar) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the watch”; Notes: Refers to guard duty or watch-post.
- הָקִימוּ (haqimu) – Root: קום; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “set up”; Notes: Command to establish guards.
- שֹׁמְרִים (shomrim) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “guards”; Notes: Watchmen stationed for vigilance.
- הָכִינוּ (hakhinu) – Root: כון; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “prepare”; Notes: Readiness for battle or strategy.
- הָאֹרְבִים (ha-orvim) – Root: ארב; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the ambushes”; Notes: Soldiers hidden for sudden attack.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- גַּם־זָמַם (gam-zamam) – Root: זמם; Form: Adverb + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “has both purposed”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s predetermined counsel.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the plan and execution.
- גַּם־עָשָׂה (gam-ʿasah) – Root: עשה; Form: Adverb + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “has also done”; Notes: Emphasizes completion of what was purposed.
- אֵת (et) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [untranslatable]; Notes: Marks the next phrase as object.
- אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר (asher-dibber) – Root: דבר; Form: Relative pronoun + Piel perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “that which He spoke”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s prophetic word.
- אֶל־יֹשְׁבֵי (el-yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Preposition אֶל + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “against the inhabitants of”; Notes: Marks Babylon’s residents as recipients of judgment.
- בָבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Object of God’s decreed judgment.