וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ בְּרִ֣יחַ דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י יֹושֵׁב֙ מִבִּקְעַת־אָ֔וֶן וְתֹומֵ֥ךְ שֵׁ֖בֶט מִבֵּ֣ית עֶ֑דֶן וְגָל֧וּ עַם־אֲרָ֛ם קִ֖ירָה אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃ פ
And I will break the bar of Dammeseq, and cut off the inhabitant from the Valley of ʾAwen, and him who holds the scepter from the house of ʿEden; and the people of Aram shall go into exile to Qir,” says YHWH.
Morphology
- וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ (ve-shavarti) – Root: שׁבר (shavar); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “And I will break”; Notes: Symbolic of overthrowing defenses—YHWH’s direct intervention to dismantle Dammeseq’s strength.
- בְּרִ֣יחַ (beriʿaḥ) – Root: בריח (beriʿaḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bar” or “gate bolt”; Notes: Refers to the metal crossbar of a city gate, representing its security and power.
- דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק (Dammeseq) – Root: דמשׂק (Dammeseq); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dammeseq” (Damascus); Notes: The capital of Aram, symbol of political might soon to fall under divine judgment.
- וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י (ve-hikhratti) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Conjunction + Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “And I will cut off”; Notes: A strong verb denoting elimination or annihilation, often used in divine judgment contexts.
- יֹושֵׁב֙ (yoshev) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “inhabitant”; Notes: Refers collectively to the population residing in the targeted region.
- מִבִּקְעַת־אָ֔וֶן (mi-biqʿat-ʾAwen) – Root: בקעה (biqʿah) + און (ʾAwen); Form: Preposition מִן + construct noun feminine singular + proper noun; Translation: “from the Valley of ʾAwen”; Notes: Likely an epithet meaning “Valley of Wickedness,” possibly referring to the plain of Baalbek or a similar idolatrous site.
- וְתֹומֵ֥ךְ (ve-tomekh) – Root: תמך (tamak); Form: Conjunction + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and him who holds”; Notes: Refers to one who upholds or wields authority, here “the holder of the scepter.”
- שֵׁ֖בֶט (shevet) – Root: שׁבט (shevet); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “scepter” or “rod”; Notes: Symbol of rule or dominion, representing kingship and government.
- מִבֵּ֣ית (mi-beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Preposition מִן + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the house of”; Notes: Introduces the location or origin of the ruler’s power.
- עֶ֑דֶן (ʿEden) – Root: עדן (ʿEden); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿEden”; Notes: Possibly referring to the Aramean region of Beth-Eden, known from Assyrian inscriptions; means “house of delight.”
- וְגָל֧וּ (ve-galu) – Root: גלה (galah); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “and they shall go into exile”; Notes: Common prophetic verb for deportation following conquest.
- עַם־אֲרָ֛ם (ʿam-ʾAram) – Root: עם (ʿam) + ארם (ʾAram); Form: Noun construct + proper noun; Translation: “the people of Aram”; Notes: Refers to the Arameans, inhabitants of Dammeseq and its territories.
- קִ֖ירָה (Qirah) – Root: קיר (Qir); Form: Proper noun with locative suffix; Translation: “to Qir”; Notes: Location where the Arameans were exiled, possibly in Media, confirming fulfillment of prophetic punishment.
- אָמַ֥ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Closing divine formula affirming the authority of the prophecy.
- יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Marks divine authorship and seals the oracle of judgment.