חָדְלוּ֩ גִבֹּורֵ֨י בָבֶ֜ל לְהִלָּחֵ֗ם יָֽשְׁבוּ֙ בַּמְּצָדֹ֔ות נָשְׁתָ֥ה גְבוּרָתָ֖ם הָי֣וּ לְנָשִׁ֑ים הִצִּ֥יתוּ מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶ֖יהָ נִשְׁבְּר֥וּ בְרִיחֶֽיהָ׃
The mighty men of Bavel ceased to fight, they sat in the strongholds, their strength failed, they became like women, her dwelling places were set on fire, her bars were broken.
Morphology
- חָדְלוּ (ḥadlu) – Root: חדל (ḥadal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they ceased”; Notes: Describes the end of military resistance.
- גִבּוֹרֵי (gibborei) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “mighty men of”; Notes: Refers to warriors or champions.
- בָבֶל (Bavel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: The city/empire of Babylon.
- לְהִלָּחֵם (le-hillaḥem) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Niphal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to fight”; Notes: Indicates purpose or activity ceased.
- יָשְׁבוּ (yashvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they sat”; Notes: Suggests withdrawal and inactivity.
- בַּמְּצָדוֹת (ba-metsadot) – Root: מצד (matsad); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “in the strongholds”; Notes: Fortified places of refuge.
- נָשְׁתָה (nashtah) – Root: נשה (nashah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “failed / was drained”; Notes: Refers to the collapse or loss of strength.
- גְבוּרָתָם (gevuratam) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their strength”; Notes: Power or might in battle.
- הָיוּ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they became”; Notes: Introduces transformation.
- לְנָשִׁים (le-nashim) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural; Translation: “like women”; Notes: Figurative for weakness in military context.
- הִצִּיתוּ (hitsitu) – Root: יצת (yatsat); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they set on fire”; Notes: Active burning of structures.
- מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיהָ (mishkenoteha) – Root: שׁכן (shakan); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her dwelling places”; Notes: Refers to habitations or abodes of the city.
- נִשְׁבְּרוּ (nishberu) – Root: שׁבר (shavar); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were broken”; Notes: Passive—indicating destruction of defenses.
- בְרִיחֶיהָ (beriheha) – Root: ברח (bereaḥ) / בריח (beriḥ); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her bars”; Notes: Refers to bolts or bars securing gates, symbols of security that are now shattered.