דֶּ֣רֶךְ תָּשִׂ֔ים לָבֹ֣וא חֶ֔רֶב אֵ֖ת רַבַּ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־עַמֹּ֑ון וְאֶת־יְהוּדָ֥ה בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בְּצוּרָֽה׃
A way you shall set for the coming of the sword: against Rabbat of the sons of ʿAmmon, and against Yehuda in Yerushalayim the fortified.
Morphology
- דֶּרֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “way”; Notes: Refers to a path or route designated for judgment.
- תָּשִׂים (tasim) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall set”; Notes: Command-like form directed to the prophet, instructing him to arrange the way.
- לָבֹוא (la-vo) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to come”; Notes: Expresses purpose: the way is set for the sword to come.
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of war and divine judgment.
- אֵת (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Particle; Translation: [untranslatable object marker]; Notes: Introduces the direct object of the verb.
- רַבַּת (Rabbat) – Root: רבת (Rabbat); Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Rabbat”; Notes: Capital city of the ʿAmmonites, today Amman in Jordan.
- בְּנֵי־עַמֹּון (bene-ʿAmmon) – Root: בן (ben), עמון (ʿAmmon); Form: Construct plural masculine + proper noun; Translation: “sons of ʿAmmon”; Notes: Refers to the people of ʿAmmon.
- וְאֶת־ (ve-ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction + particle; Translation: “and [against]”; Notes: Links the two objects of the sword’s coming.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom of Judah.
- בִירוּשָׁלִַם (bi-Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלם (Yerushalayim); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “in Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital city of Yehudah.
- בְּצוּרָה (be-tzurah) – Root: צור (tzur); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “fortified”; Notes: Refers to the city’s defensive state, emphasizing its strength yet vulnerability before YHWH’s judgment.