טֹובָ֣ם כְּחֵ֔דֶק יָשָׁ֖ר מִמְּסוּכָ֑ה יֹ֤ום מְצַפֶּ֨יךָ֙ פְּקֻדָּתְךָ֣ בָ֔אָה עַתָּ֥ה תִהְיֶ֖ה מְבוּכָתָֽם׃
Their best is like a thornbush, the upright more than a hedge; the day of your watchmen, your visitation, has come; now shall be their confusion.
Morphology
- טֹובָם (tovam) — Root: טוב (ṭ-w-v); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their good / their best”; Notes: Even the “best” of them is corrupt.
- כְּחֵדֶק (ke-ḥedek) — Root: חדק (ḥ-d-q); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a thornbush”; Notes: Symbol of harm, uselessness, obstruction.
- יָשָׁר (yashar) — Root: ישׁר (y-sh-r); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the upright”; Notes: Moral uprightness contrasted with thornlike wickedness.
- מִמְּסוּכָה (mi-mesukhah) — Root: סכך (s-k-kh); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular; Translation: “more than a hedge / from a hedge”; Notes: Hedge imagery suggests entanglement and danger.
- יֹום (yom) — Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Prophetic term for an appointed time.
- מְצַפֶּיךָ (metsappekha) — Root: צפה (ts-p-h); Form: Piel participle masculine plural + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your watchmen”; Notes: Refers to prophets or observers who warn of coming judgment.
- פְּקֻדָּתְךָ (pequddatkha) — Root: פקד (p-q-d); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your visitation”; Notes: Divine judgment or intervention.
- בָאָה (baʾah) — Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3fs; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Feminine subject is פְּקֻדָּה.
- עַתָּה (ʿattah) — Root: עתה (ʿ-t-h); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks the moment of fulfillment.
- תִהְיֶה (tihyeh) — Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3fs; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Refers forward to מְבוּכָה as the subject.
- מְבוּכָתָם (mevukatam) — Root: בוך (b-w-kh); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their confusion / bewilderment”; Notes: The final state of those under judgment.