שְׂאוּ־נֵ֣ס בָּאָ֗רֶץ תִּקְע֨וּ שֹׁופָ֤ר בַּגֹּויִם֙ קַדְּשׁ֤וּ עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ גֹּויִ֔ם הַשְׁמִ֧יעוּ עָלֶ֛יהָ מַמְלְכֹ֥ות אֲרָרַ֖ט מִנִּ֣י וְאַשְׁכְּנָ֑ז פִּקְד֤וּ עָלֶ֨יהָ֙ טִפְסָ֔ר הַֽעֲלוּ־ס֖וּס כְּיֶ֥לֶק סָמָֽר׃
Lift up a banner in the land, blow a shofar among the nations, consecrate nations against her, proclaim against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz, appoint against her a marshal, bring up horses like the bristling locust.
Morphology
- שְׂאוּ (seʾu) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Lift up”; Notes: Command to raise or exalt.
- נֵס (nes) – Root: נסס (nasas); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “banner / signal pole”; Notes: Military or rallying standard.
- בָּאָרֶץ (ba-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: Refers to the territory where the banner is raised.
- תִּקְעוּ (tiqʿu) – Root: תקע (taqaʿ); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “blow”; Notes: Refers to sounding an instrument, typically a trumpet or shofar.
- שֹׁופָר (shofar) – Root: שׁפר (shofar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shofar”; Notes: Horn used for warning or signaling.
- בַּגֹּויִם (ba-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Refers to foreign peoples.
- קַדְּשׁוּ (qaddeshu) – Root: קדשׁ (qadash); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “consecrate / set apart”; Notes: Often refers to preparing for holy war.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon (feminine).
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: The attacking peoples to be consecrated.
- הַשְׁמִיעוּ (hashmiʿu) – Root: שׁמע (shamaʿ); Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “proclaim / cause to be heard”; Notes: Public announcement of mobilization.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her”; Notes: Repetition strengthens the emphasis on the target (Babylon).
- מַמְלְכוֹת (mamlekhot) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “kingdoms”; Notes: Alliances of regions joining the attack.
- אֲרָרַט (Ararat) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Geographical name; Translation: “Ararat”; Notes: A region in ancient Armenia.
- מִנִּי (Minni) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Geographical name; Translation: “Minni”; Notes: Kingdom in eastern Anatolia.
- וְאַשְׁכְּנָז (ve-Ashkenaz) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Geographical/ethnic name with conjunction; Translation: “and Ashkenaz”; Notes: Northern people group allied in the invasion.
- פִּקְדוּ (piqdu) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “appoint / muster”; Notes: Refers to placing leaders in charge.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her”; Notes: Again emphasizes the target of the action.
- טִפְסָר (tiphsar) – Root: Loanword (Akkadian origin); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “marshal / commander”; Notes: Military leader or officer of rank.
- הַעֲלוּ (haʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Hifil imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “bring up / cause to ascend”; Notes: Refers to bringing cavalry into the battle.
- סוּס (sus) – Root: סוס (sus); Form: Noun masculine singular collective; Translation: “horse”; Notes: Refers collectively to horses for war.
- כְּיֶלֶק (ke-yeleq) – Root: ילק (yeleq); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the locust”; Notes: Comparison with the multitude of insects symbolizes vastness of the cavalry.
- סָמָר (samar) – Root: סמר (samar); Form: Adjective/participle masculine singular; Translation: “bristling / with raised hair”; Notes: Indicates the frightening, swarming appearance of locusts.