עַל־מַפַּלְתֹּ֥ו יִשְׁכְּנ֖וּ כָּל־עֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְאֶל־פֹּארֹתָ֣יו הָי֔וּ כֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
Upon his fallen trunk all the birds of the heavens shall dwell, and among his branches shall be every beast of the field.
Morphology
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Marks location or position—used here figuratively for what rests upon the fallen empire symbolized by the tree.
- מַפַּלְתֹּו (mapalto) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his fall” or “his fallen trunk”; Notes: Derived from “fall,” representing the collapse of the mighty cedar (Assyria) and metaphorically, its corpse-like remains.
- יִשְׁכְּנוּ (yishkenu) – Root: שׁכן (shakan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall dwell”; Notes: Denotes habitation or settlement—implying scavengers or opportunistic nations taking over what remains.
- כָּל־עֹוף (kol-ʿof) – Root: עוף (ʿof); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with כָּל (“all”); Translation: “all the birds”; Notes: Symbolizes nations or powers that benefit from the downfall of the great tree.
- הַשָּׁמָיִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “of the heavens”; Notes: Denotes the sky or celestial realm—used poetically to emphasize the vastness of creation now witnessing the fall.
- וְאֶל־ (ve-el) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition אֶל; Translation: “and upon” or “and to”; Notes: Connects the two parallel clauses describing habitation by birds and beasts.
- פֹּארֹתָיו (poʾrotav) – Root: פאר (paʾar); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his branches”; Notes: Symbolic of the reaches or influences of the empire; now inhabited by lesser creatures.
- הָיוּ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they were”; Notes: Indicates settled condition—reflects ongoing habitation among the ruins.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: —; Form: Noun meaning “all” or “every”; Translation: “every”; Notes: Adds totality, reinforcing that all types of wild beasts participated in the metaphorical occupation.
- חַיַּת (ḥayat) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “beast of”; Notes: Refers to wild animals—figuratively nations or powers benefiting from Assyria’s collapse.
- הַשָּׂדֶה (ha-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (sadeh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the field”; Notes: Symbolic of the world or the nations—the domain outside divine cultivation, now filled with opportunists feeding on downfall.