Joel 2:10

לְפָנָיו֙ רָ֣גְזָה אֶ֔רֶץ רָעֲשׁ֖וּ שָׁמָ֑יִם שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ וְיָרֵ֨חַ֙ קָדָ֔רוּ וְכֹוכָבִ֖ים אָסְפ֥וּ נָגְהָֽם׃

Before Him the earth trembles, the heavens quake; the sun and the moon grow dark, and the stars withdraw their brightness.

Morphology

1. לְפָנָיו֙ (le-fanav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct with suffix 3ms; Translation: “before Him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s manifest presence causing cosmic trembling.
2. רָ֣גְזָה (ragzah) – Root: רגז (ragaz); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “trembled”; Notes: Feminine verb agreeing with the noun “earth,” expressing agitation or shaking.
3. אֶ֔רֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Denotes the physical world responding to divine power.
4. רָעֲשׁ֖וּ (raʿashu) – Root: רעשׁ (raʿash); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they quaked”; Notes: Refers to celestial trembling, often depicting apocalyptic upheaval.
5. שָׁמָ֑יִם (shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “heavens”; Notes: Symbolic of the cosmic order or divine realm.
6. שֶׁ֤מֶשׁ (shemesh) – Root: שׁמשׁ (shemesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “sun”; Notes: Represents a major source of light—darkened at divine appearance.
7. וְיָרֵ֨חַ֙ (ve-yareach) – Root: ירח (yareach); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the moon”; Notes: The lunar light joins in the cosmic dimming before YHWH’s glory.
8. קָדָ֔רוּ (qadaru) – Root: קדר (qadar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “grew dark”; Notes: Denotes becoming dim or obscured, often used poetically for sorrow or divine judgment.
9. וְכֹוכָבִ֖ים (ve-kokhavim) – Root: כוכב (kokhav); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and stars”; Notes: Refers to celestial bodies withdrawing their light amid divine manifestation.
10. אָסְפ֥וּ (asfu) – Root: אסף (asaf); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they withdrew”; Notes: Literally “gathered in,” meaning the stars hide or conceal their light.
11. נָגְהָֽם (nogham) – Root: נגה (nogah); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their brightness”; Notes: Refers to radiant light, now withdrawn—symbolic of divine overshadowing and judgment.