וְנָתַ֤תִּי אֵשׁ֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם ח֤וּל תָּחִיל֙ סִ֔ין וְנֹ֖א תִּהְיֶ֣ה לְהִבָּקֵ֑עַ וְנֹ֖ף צָרֵ֥י יֹומָֽם׃
And I will set fire in Mitsrayim; Sin shall writhe in anguish, and No shall be for breaking apart, and Nof shall have adversaries by day.
Morphology
- וְנָתַתִּי (ve-natatti) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and I will set”; Notes: Indicates divine causation—YHWH actively places or sends fire as judgment upon Mitsrayim.
- אֵשׁ (ʾesh) – Root: —; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Symbol of destruction and divine wrath frequently associated with God’s purging judgment.
- בְּמִצְרַיִם (be-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Mitsrayim (Egypt)”; Notes: Denotes the geographic location of divine punishment.
- חוּל (ḥul) – Root: חול (ḥul); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular (or imperative in poetic sense); Translation: “shall writhe” or “shall tremble”; Notes: Describes physical or emotional anguish, often used for fear under divine terror.
- תָּחִיל (taḥil) – Root: חיל (ḥil); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be in travail” or “shall tremble”; Notes: Paired with חוּל for emphatic repetition, expressing the agony of Sin (Pelusium).
- סִין (Sin) – Root: סין (Sin); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Sin”; Notes: City of Pelusium, Egypt’s eastern fortress—called the “stronghold of Mitsrayim.” Its fear symbolizes Egypt’s military collapse.
- וְנֹא (ve-No) – Root: נֹא (No); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and No”; Notes: Refers to Thebes, Egypt’s great religious capital; coupled with ruin in divine judgment imagery.
- תִּהְיֶה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Predictive use indicating the coming state of devastation.
- לְהִבָּקֵעַ (le-hibbaqeʿa) – Root: בקע (baqaʿ); Form: Preposition לְ + Niphal infinitive construct; Translation: “for breaking apart”; Notes: Niphal passive form—indicates being breached or torn open, symbolizing ruin of the city walls or social structure.
- וְנֹף (ve-Nof) – Root: נוף (Nof); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and Nof”; Notes: Ancient Memphis, Egypt’s political capital; represents Egypt’s national pride and governance.
- צָרֵי (tsarei) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “adversaries of”; Notes: Denotes enemies or oppressors surrounding the city, intensifying its distress.
- יֹומָם (yomam) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Adverbial noun; Translation: “by day”; Notes: Indicates continual or public humiliation—Nof’s suffering is visible even in daylight.