Ezekiel 32:2

בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם שָׂ֤א קִינָה֙ עַל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו כְּפִ֥יר גֹּויִ֖ם נִדְמֵ֑יתָ וְאַתָּה֙ כַּתַּנִּ֣ים בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וַתָּ֣גַח בְּנַהֲרֹותֶ֗יךָ וַתִּדְלַח־מַ֨יִם֙ בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וַתִּרְפֹּ֖ס נַהֲרֹותָֽם׃

“Son of man, raise a lamentation over Parʿo king of Mitsrayim, and say to him: You likened yourself to a young lion among the nations, yet you are like the sea monsters in the seas; and you burst forth in your rivers, and you troubled the waters with your feet, and you fouled their rivers.

Morphology

1. בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-ʾadam) – Root: בן / אדם; Form: Noun construct + noun masculine singular; Translation: “son of man”; Notes: Standard divine address to Ezekiel, emphasizing his human frailty in contrast to divine majesty.
2. שָׂא (sa) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “raise” or “lift up”; Notes: Command to proclaim or chant a lamentation — often poetic in nature.
3. קִינָה (qinah) – Root: קונ (qinah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “lamentation”; Notes: A dirge or mourning song used in prophetic judgment speeches.
4. עַל־פַּרְעֹה (ʿal-Parʿo) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “over Parʿo”; Notes: Introduces the subject of the lament — Pharaoh, ruler of Mitsrayim (Egypt).
5. מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם (melekh-Mitsrayim) – Root: מלך (melek) / מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Noun construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Identifies Parʿo’s political and national domain.
6. וְאָמַרְתָּ (veʾamarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and say”; Notes: Directive for prophetic speech; continues the command given to Ezekiel.
7. אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + pronominal suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Marks the addressee of the prophecy — Pharaoh himself.
8. כְּפִיר (kefir) – Root: כפר (kefir); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “young lion”; Notes: Symbol of strength and predatory dominance among nations; self-perception of Pharaoh.
9. גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to other peoples or kingdoms surrounding Mitsrayim.
10. נִדְמֵיתָ (nidmeita) – Root: דמה (damah); Form: Niphal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you likened yourself”; Notes: Reflexive sense—Pharaoh’s self-deceptive comparison to a lion, implying misplaced pride.
11. וְאַתָּה (veʾattah) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “but you”; Notes: Contrastive conjunction introduces a correction of Pharaoh’s delusion.
12. כַּתַּנִּים (ka-tannim) – Root: תנין (tannin); Form: Preposition כְּ + plural noun; Translation: “like the sea monsters”; Notes: Symbol of chaos and destruction — often representing Egypt in prophetic imagery.
13. בַּיַּמִּים (ba-yammim) – Root: ים (yam); Form: Preposition בְ + definite article + plural noun; Translation: “in the seas”; Notes: The plural “seas” magnifies the imagery of vast, untamed waters under divine judgment.
14. וַתָּגַח (vatagach) – Root: נגח (nagach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you burst forth” or “butted”; Notes: Describes violent, chaotic motion—Egypt disturbing the nations symbolized as rivers.
15. בְּנַהֲרֹותֶיךָ (be-naharotekha) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Preposition בְ + plural noun + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “in your rivers”; Notes: The Nile and its canals—the life source and symbol of Egypt’s power—are disrupted.
16. וַתִּדְלַח (vatidlach) – Root: דלח (dalaḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you troubled” or “stirred up”; Notes: Refers to muddying the waters, an image of political turmoil and corruption.
17. מַיִם (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun masculine plural (dual in form); Translation: “waters”; Notes: Symbol of life and order—now disturbed by Pharaoh’s prideful actions.
18. בְּרַגְלֶיךָ (be-raglekha) – Root: רגל (regel); Form: Preposition בְ + dual noun + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “with your feet”; Notes: Implies arrogance and reckless behavior—polluting what was once pure.
19. וַתִּרְפֹּס (vatirpos) – Root: רפס (rafas); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you fouled” or “trampled”; Notes: Continuation of the water metaphor—Egypt’s actions have corrupted the international order symbolized by the rivers.
20. נַהֲרֹותָם (naharotam) – Root: נהר (nahar); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their rivers”; Notes: Refers to the rivers of other nations—Egypt’s interference causes widespread disorder and defilement.