וַיַּ֣עַל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֗ה עַ֚ל כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיָּ֕נַח בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד לְ֠פָנָיו לֹא־הָ֨יָה כֵ֤ן אַרְבֶּה֙ כָּמֹ֔הוּ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃
And the locusts came up over all the land of Mitsrayim and settled in all the borders of Mitsrayim; they were very heavy. Before them, there were no locusts like them, nor after them will there be such.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֣עַל (vayyaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And it came up”; Notes: Refers to the locusts swarming over the land.
- הָֽאַרְבֶּ֗ה (haʾarbeh) – Root: ארב (ʾ-r-b); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The locusts”; Notes: Refers to the plague of locusts.
- עַ֚ל (ʿal) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition; Translation: “Over”; Notes: Indicates the extent of the locusts’ movement.
- כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ (kol-erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “All the land of”; Notes: Refers to the entire land.
- מִצְרַ֔יִם (mitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- וַיָּ֕נַח (vayyanaḥ) – Root: נוח (n-w-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And it settled”; Notes: Refers to the locusts resting or staying.
- בְּכֹ֖ל (bekhol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “In all”; Notes: Emphasizes the completeness of the infestation.
- גְּב֣וּל (gevul) – Root: גבול (g-v-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Border”; Notes: Refers to the geographical boundaries.
- מִצְרָ֑יִם (mitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Specifies the affected region.
- כָּבֵ֣ד (kaved) – Root: כבד (k-v-d); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “Heavy”; Notes: Describes the intensity of the locusts’ presence.
- מְאֹ֔ד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (m-ʾ-d); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Very”; Notes: Emphasizes the severity.
- לְ֠פָנָיו (lefanav) – Root: פנה (p-n-h); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “Before it”; Notes: Refers to time prior to this event.
- לֹא־הָ֨יָה (lo-hayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Negative particle + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “There was not”; Notes: Denies the existence of such a locust infestation before.
- כֵ֤ן (ken) – Root: N/A; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Like this”; Notes: Refers to the unparalleled nature of this event.
- אַרְבֶּה֙ (arbeh) – Root: ארב (ʾ-r-b); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Locusts”; Notes: Specifies the subject.
- כָּמֹ֔הוּ (kamohu) – Root: כמו (k-m-w); Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “Like it”; Notes: Compares the magnitude of this event.
- וְאַחֲרָ֖יו (veʾaḥarav) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Conjunction + Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “And after it”; Notes: Refers to future times.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the statement.
- יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃ (yihyeh-ken) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms + Adverb; Translation: “Will there be such”; Notes: Refers to the future impossibility of a similar event.