שָׂרֶ֣יהָ בְקִרְבָּ֔הּ כִּזְאֵבִ֖ים טֹ֣רְפֵי טָ֑רֶף לִשְׁפָּךְ־דָּם֙ לְאַבֵּ֣ד נְפָשֹׁ֔ות לְמַ֖עַן בְּצֹ֥עַ בָּֽצַע׃
Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing prey, to pour out blood, to destroy lives, in order to make unjust gain.
Morphology
- שָׂרֶיהָ (sareha) – Root: שר (sar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her princes”; Notes: Refers to rulers of Jerusalem exercising corrupt power.
- בְקִרְבָּהּ (be-qirbah) – Root: קרב (qerev); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her midst”; Notes: Locative, highlighting the corruption from within.
- כִּזְאֵבִים (ki-zeʾevim) – Root: זאב (zeʾev); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “like wolves”; Notes: Metaphor for predatory rulers.
- טֹרְפֵי (torefey) – Root: טרף (taraf); Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “tearing”; Notes: Describes their continuous violent activity.
- טָרֶף (taref) – Root: טרף (taraf); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “prey”; Notes: That which is devoured or exploited.
- לִשְׁפָּךְ־דָּם (lishpokh-dam) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “to pour out blood”; Notes: Purpose clause, denoting murderous intent.
- לְאַבֵּד (le-abbed) – Root: אבד (ʾavad); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to destroy”; Notes: Intensive action, annihilation of lives.
- נְפָשֹׁות (nefashot) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine plural absolute; Translation: “lives”; Notes: Refers to people as victims of unjust rulers.
- לְמַעַן (lemaʿan) – Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order to”; Notes: Introduces purpose or motivation.
- בְּצֹעַ (be-tsoʿa) – Root: בצע (batzaʿ); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “in unjust gain”; Notes: Ill-gotten profit, greed-driven corruption.
- בָּצַע (batsaʿ) – Root: בצע (batzaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive absolute (serving emphatically); Translation: “gain”; Notes: Reinforces motive of exploitation for profit.