Amos 5:19

כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֥וּס אִישׁ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י הָאֲרִ֔י וּפְגָעֹ֖ו הַדֹּ֑ב וּבָ֣א הַבַּ֔יִת וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדֹו֙ עַל־הַקִּ֔יר וּנְשָׁכֹ֖ו הַנָּחָֽשׁ׃

As when a man flees from before the lion, and the bear meets him, and he enters the house and leans his hand upon the wall, and the serpent bites him.

Morphology

1. כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Preposition כְּ + relative particle; Translation: “as when”; Notes: Introduces a comparative clause illustrating the inevitability of judgment.
2. יָנוּס (yanus) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he flees”; Notes: Indicates a desperate act of escape from danger.
3. אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אנשׁ (ʾenosh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Represents the generic human subject of the illustration.
4. מִפְּנֵי (mi-penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition מִן + plural construct form of “face”; Translation: “from before”; Notes: Expresses fleeing from the presence or threat of someone or something.
5. הָאֲרִי (ha-ʾari) – Root: ארי (ʾari); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lion”; Notes: A symbol of danger or destruction.
6. וּפְגָעֹו (u-fegaʿo) – Root: פגע (pagaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and the bear meets him”; Notes: Expresses the irony of escaping one peril only to face another.
7. הַדֹּב (ha-dov) – Root: דוב (dov); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the bear”; Notes: Another image of deadly threat, heightening the inevitability of calamity.
8. וּבָא (u-va) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he enters”; Notes: Suggests a moment of apparent safety after external danger.
9. הַבַּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Symbol of refuge or security, which is ironically betrayed.
10. וְסָמַךְ (ve-samakh) – Root: סמך (samakh); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he leans”; Notes: Describes an act of resting or trusting in apparent safety.
11. יָדֹו (yado) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his hand”; Notes: The agent through which the man interacts with his environment.
12. עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Marks the object of physical contact—“the wall.”
13. הַקִּיר (ha-qir) – Root: קיר (qir); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the wall”; Notes: Common structural element, here turned into a setting for danger.
14. וּנְשָׁכֹו (u-neshakho) – Root: נשׁך (nashakh); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and the serpent bites him”; Notes: Final ironic reversal: from fear to fatal encounter within supposed safety.
15. הַנָּחָשׁ (ha-naḥash) – Root: נחשׁ (naḥash); Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the serpent”; Notes: Represents unexpected danger and divine judgment striking from within.