אֵ֚יךְ נִלְכְּדָ֣ה שֵׁשַׁ֔ךְ וַתִּתָּפֵ֖שׂ תְּהִלַּ֣ת כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֵ֣יךְ הָיְתָ֧ה לְשַׁמָּ֛ה בָּבֶ֖ל בַּגֹּויִֽם׃
How Sheshakh is taken, and the praise of all the earth is seized! How Bavel has become a desolation among the nations!
Morphology
- אֵיךְ (ʾekh) – Root: איך (ʾekh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Introduces astonishment or lament.
- נִלְכְּדָה (nilkedah) – Root: לכד (lakad); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is taken / captured”; Notes: Passive voice indicating Babylon’s downfall.
- שֵׁשַׁךְ (Sheshakh) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name feminine singular; Translation: “Sheshakh”; Notes: Cryptogram for Babylon in Jeremiah (Atbash cipher).
- וַתִּתָּפֵשׂ (va-tittafes) – Root: תפשׂ (taphas); Form: Niphal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and is seized”; Notes: Emphasizes sudden capture.
- תְּהִלַּת (tehillat) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “the praise of”; Notes: Refers to renown or glory.
- כָּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “all”; Notes: Intensifies “the earth.”
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Refers to the whole land or world in hyperbolic sense.
- אֵיךְ (ʾekh) – Root: איך (ʾekh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Repetition intensifies lament.
- הָיְתָה (hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has become”; Notes: Describes Babylon’s state of ruin.
- לְשַׁמָּה (le-shammah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “a desolation”; Notes: Indicates utter devastation.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: The great city/empire of Babylon.
- בַּגּוֹיִם (ba-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Babylon’s downfall observed by the nations.