גָּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶלַח֮ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כָל־אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כָּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבֹיִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאַפֹּ֖ו וּבַחֲמָתֹֽו׃
sulfur and salt, a burning of all her land—it will not be sown, it will not sprout, and no grass will grow in it, like the overthrow of Sedom and ʿAmora, Adma and Tsevoyim, which YHWH overturned in His anger and in His wrath.
Morphology
- גָּפְרִ֣ית (gofrit) – Root: גפר (g-p-r); Form: Feminine singular noun; Translation: “sulfur”; Notes: Symbolic of desolation and destruction.
- וָמֶלַח (va-melach) – Root: מלח (m-l-ḥ); Form: Conjunction + masculine singular noun; Translation: “and salt”; Notes: Salt here emphasizes barrenness, as land salted cannot produce crops.
- שְׂרֵפָ֣ה (serefah) – Root: שרף (ś-r-p); Form: Feminine singular noun; Translation: “burning”; Notes: Describes total destruction by fire.
- כָל־אַרְצָהּ (khol-artzah) – Root: כל (k-l) + ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Construct form “all” + feminine singular noun “her land”; Translation: “all her land”; Notes: Refers to complete devastation.
- לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ (lo tizaraʿ) – Root: זרע (z-r-ʿ); Form: Negative particle “not” + Niphal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it will not be sown”; Notes: Indicates future barrenness.
- וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ (ve-lo tatsmiaḥ) – Root: צמח (ts-m-ḥ); Form: Conjunction “and” + negative particle “not” + Hiphil imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it will not sprout”; Notes: Reinforces the theme of sterility.
- וְלֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה (ve-lo yaʿaleh) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Conjunction “and” + negative particle “not” + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and no [grass] will rise”; Notes: Describes vegetation failure.
- בָ֖הּ (bah) – Root: Preposition “in” + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the land previously mentioned.
- כָּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב (khol-ʿesev) – Root: עשׂב (ʿ-ś-b); Form: Construct form “all” + masculine singular noun; Translation: “all grass”; Notes: Specifies the absence of even the simplest plant life.
- כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת (ke-mahpekhat) – Root: הפך (h-p-kh); Form: Preposition “like” + feminine singular noun; Translation: “like the overthrow”; Notes: Refers to the catastrophic judgment on ancient cities.
- סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבֹיִ֔ים (Sedom va-ʿAmorah, Admah u-Tsevoyim) – Root: Proper nouns; Form: Names of cities; Translation: “Sedom and ʿAmorah, Admah and Tsevoyim”; Notes: Cites the infamous cities destroyed by YHWH for their wickedness.
- אֲשֶׁ֙ר הָפַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה (asher hafakh YHWH) – Root: הפך (h-p-kh); Form: Relative pronoun “which” + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “which YHWH overturned”; Notes: Highlights divine judgment.
- בְּאַפֹּ֖ו (be-appo) – Root: אף (ʾ-p); Form: Preposition “in” + masculine singular noun “His anger”; Translation: “in His anger”; Notes: Indicates the cause of YHWH’s actions.
- וּבַחֲמָתֹֽו (u-vaḥamato) – Root: חמה (ḥ-m-h); Form: Conjunction “and” + preposition “in” + feminine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and in His wrath”; Notes: Emphasizes the intensity of YHWH’s judgment.