כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ קָדְחָ֣ה בְאַפִּ֔י וַתִּיקַ֖ד עַד־שְׁאֹ֣ול תַּחְתִּ֑ית וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט מֹוסְדֵ֥י הָרִֽים׃
For a fire is kindled in My anger, and it burns to the lowest She’ol, and it devours the earth and its produce, and it scorches the foundations of the mountains.
Morphology
- כִּי־אֵשׁ֙ (ki-esh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾ-š); Form: Conjunction + feminine singular noun; Translation: “For a fire”; Notes: Introduces the reason for YHWH’s wrath.
- קָדְחָ֣ה (kad’ḥah) – Root: קדח (q-d-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is kindled”; Notes: Describes the initiation of divine wrath.
- בְאַפִּ֔י (ve-api) – Root: אף (ʾ-p); Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My anger”; Notes: Indicates the cause of the fire.
- וַתִּיקַ֖ד (vatikad) – Root: יקד (y-q-d); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and it burns”; Notes: Continues the imagery of consuming fire.
- עַד־שְׁאֹ֣ול (ad-She’ol) – Root: שׁאול (š-ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + feminine singular noun; Translation: “to the lowest She’ol”; Notes: Refers to the realm of the dead, emphasizing the extent of destruction.
- תַּחְתִּ֑ית (taḥtit) – Root: תחת (t-ḥ-t); Form: Feminine singular noun (construct form); Translation: “the lowest”; Notes: Highlights the depth of the burning.
- וַתֹּ֤אכַל (vato’khal) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and it devours”; Notes: The fire consumes everything in its path.
- אֶ֨רֶץ֙ (erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Feminine singular noun; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Refers to the land being consumed.
- וִֽיבֻלָ֔הּ (vivulah) – Root: יבול (y-v-l); Form: Masculine singular noun with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and its produce”; Notes: Refers to the agricultural yield of the land.
- וַתְּלַהֵ֖ט (vate-lahet) – Root: להט (l-ḥ-t); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw-consecutive; Translation: “and it scorches”; Notes: Describes the intense burning effect of the fire.
- מֹוסְדֵ֥י (mosdei) – Root: יסד (y-s-d); Form: Masculine plural noun construct form; Translation: “the foundations of”; Notes: Refers to the very base or roots of the mountains.
- הָרִֽים׃ (harim) – Root: הר (h-r); Form: Masculine plural noun; Translation: “the mountains”; Notes: Completes the imagery of total destruction reaching even the strongest natural formations.