לְמַ֨עַן טְבֹ֤חַ טֶ֨בַח֙ הוּחַ֔דָּה לְמַעַן־הֱיֵה־לָ֥הּ בָּ֖רָק מֹרָ֑טָּה אֹ֣ו נָשִׂ֔ישׂ שֵׁ֥בֶט בְּנִ֖י מֹאֶ֥סֶת כָּל־עֵֽץ׃
In order to slaughter a slaughter it has been sharpened; in order that it may have lightning it has been polished. Or shall we rejoice? The rod of my son, despising every tree.
Morphology
- לְמַעַן (le-maʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order that”; Notes: Introduces purpose clause.
- טְבֹחַ (tvoaḥ) – Root: טבח (ṭavaḥ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to slaughter”; Notes: Used as verbal noun to express action of killing.
- טֶבַח (tevaḥ) – Root: טבח (ṭevaḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “slaughter”; Notes: Object of the infinitive, reinforcing action through repetition.
- הוּחַדָּה (huḥaddah) – Root: חדד (ḥadad); Form: Pual perfect 3fs; Translation: “it has been sharpened”; Notes: Feminine verb matches subject חֶרֶב (sword) implied from context.
- לְמַעַן (le-maʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order that”; Notes: Introduces second purpose clause.
- הֱיֵה (heyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Functions as part of purpose construction.
- לָהּ (lah) – Root: ל (lamed); Form: Preposition + 3fs suffix; Translation: “for it”; Notes: Refers to the sword.
- בָּרָק (baraq) – Root: ברק (baraq); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “lightning”; Notes: Symbol of flash or brilliance, metaphor for gleaming blade.
- מֹרָטָּה (morattah) – Root: מרט (marat); Form: Pual participle feminine singular; Translation: “it has been polished”; Notes: Feminine form matches implied חֶרֶב; denotes burnished shine.
- אֹו (ʾo) – Root: או (ʾo); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Signals alternative rhetorical stance.
- נָשִׂישׂ (nasís) – Root: שׂושׂ (sus); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person common plural; Translation: “shall we rejoice?”; Notes: Expresses rhetorical question amidst judgment imagery.
- שֵׁבֶט (shevet) – Root: שׁבט (shevet); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “rod”; Notes: Symbol of authority, discipline, or tribal identity.
- בְּנִי (beni) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my son”; Notes: Possibly metaphorical reference to Yisraʾel.
- מֹאֶסֶת (moʾeset) – Root: מאס (maʾas); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “despising”; Notes: Feminine agrees with שֵׁבֶט (as collective idea); denotes rejection or disdain.
- כָּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every”; Notes: Universal scope marker.
- עֵץ (ʿets) – Root: עץ (ʿets); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “tree”; Notes: Often metaphor for human strength, rule, or nations.