Ezekiel 35:9

שִֽׁמְמֹ֤ות עֹולָם֙ אֶתֶּנְךָ֔ וְעָרֶ֖יךָ לֹ֣א תֵשֵׁ֑בְנָה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

I will make you everlasting desolations, and your cities shall not be inhabited, and you shall know that I am YHWH.

Morphology

1. שִׁמְמֹות (shimmōt) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “desolations”; Notes: Plural intensifies the devastation—multiple or total ruin across the land.
2. עֹולָם (ʿolam) – Root: עלם (ʿalam); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “everlasting” or “perpetual”; Notes: Expresses permanence—YHWH’s judgment will endure for all time.
3. אֶתֶּנְךָ (ettenkha) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “I will make you” or “I will appoint you”; Notes: Denotes divine action of assigning Edom to a state of eternal ruin.
4. וְעָרֶיךָ (ve-ʿareikha) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine plural construct + suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and your cities”; Notes: Refers to the fortified towns of Seʿir now doomed to abandonment.
5. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb, stressing the absolute cessation of habitation.
6. תֵשֵׁבְנָה (teshevnah) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “shall be inhabited”; Notes: The feminine plural agrees with עָרֶיךָ (“your cities”); depicts ongoing desolation.
7. וִידַעְתֶּם (vi-yidaʿtem) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you shall know”; Notes: A recurring phrase in Ezekiel—recognition of YHWH’s sovereignty following judgment.
8. כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that” or “because”; Notes: Introduces the object clause of knowledge—what the nations will come to realize.
9. אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s personal involvement and authority.
10. יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name signifying divine justice and revelation through judgment.