גָּבַ֤הּ לִבְּךָ֙ בְּיָפְיֶ֔ךָ שִׁחַ֥תָּ חָכְמָתְךָ֖ עַל־יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּ֗יךָ לִפְנֵ֧י מְלָכִ֛ים נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְרַ֥אֲוָה בָֽךְ׃
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor. Upon the earth I have cast you; before kings I have set you, to gaze at you.
Morphology
- גָּבַהּ (gavah) – Root: גבה (gavah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was lifted up”; Notes: Describes pride or exaltation of heart — an idiom for arrogance.
- לִבְּךָ (libbekha) – Root: לבב (levav); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Refers to inner will or self — the seat of pride and moral intent.
- בְּיָפְיֶךָ (beyofyekha) – Root: יפה (yafeh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “because of your beauty”; Notes: Indicates the cause of arrogance — outward appearance leading to internal corruption.
- שִׁחַתָּ (shiḥatta) – Root: שׁחת (shaḥat); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you corrupted”; Notes: Intensive verb indicating deliberate ruin or moral perversion of wisdom.
- חָכְמָתְךָ (ḥokhmatkha) – Root: חכם (ḥakham); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your wisdom”; Notes: Refers to spiritual or intellectual insight given by God but now defiled through pride.
- עַל־יִפְעָתֶךָ (ʿal-yifʿatekha) – Root: יפע (yafaʿ); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “on account of your splendor”; Notes: Denotes the cause of corruption — excessive admiration of one’s own magnificence.
- עַל־אֶרֶץ (ʿal-erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine singular; Translation: “upon the earth”; Notes: Symbolic of humiliation — cast down from heavenly status to earthly realm.
- הִשְׁלַכְתִּיךָ (hishlakhtikha) – Root: שלך (shalakh); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “I have cast you”; Notes: Indicates divine action of casting down, emphasizing YHWH’s judgment.
- לִפְנֵי (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + plural noun construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Denotes presence or exposure — publicly before others.
- מְלָכִים (melakhim) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “kings”; Notes: Represents earthly rulers who witness the downfall as a warning.
- נְתַתִּיךָ (netattikha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “I have set you”; Notes: Suggests deliberate placement for public display or humiliation.
- לְרַאֲוָה (le-ra’avah) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for a spectacle”; Notes: Indicates purpose — to be gazed upon as an example of pride’s downfall.
- בָךְ (bakh) – Root: —; Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “at you” or “upon you”; Notes: Marks the object of observation — the fallen one who is now an object lesson to kings.