וַיִּכְרְתֻ֧הוּ זָרִ֛ים עָרִיצֵ֥י גֹויִ֖ם וַֽיִּטְּשֻׁ֑הוּ אֶל־֠הֶהָרִים וּבְכָל־גֵּ֨אָיֹ֜ות נָפְל֣וּ דָלִיֹּותָ֗יו וַתִּשָּׁבַ֤רְנָה פֹֽארֹתָיו֙ בְּכֹל֙ אֲפִיקֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֵּרְד֧וּ מִצִּלֹּ֛ו כָּל־עַמֵּ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ וַֽיִּטְּשֻֽׁהוּ׃
Strangers, the ruthless ones of the nations, cut him down and abandoned him; upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches fell, and his boughs were broken in all the ravines of the land; and all the peoples of the earth came down from his shadow and left him.
Morphology
- וַיִּכְרְתֻהוּ (vayyikretuhu) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And they cut him down”; Notes: Refers to the destruction of the mighty cedar (symbol of Assyria) by foreign nations.
- זָרִים (zarim) – Root: זר (zar); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “strangers” or “foreigners”; Notes: Denotes foreign invaders or nations outside YHWH’s covenant people.
- עָרִיצֵי (ʿaritsei) – Root: ערץ (ʿarats); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the ruthless ones of”; Notes: Indicates violent or fearsome conquerors, emphasizing the terror brought by the destroyers.
- גֹּויִם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Represents the collective might of foreign peoples used as YHWH’s instruments of judgment.
- וַיִּטְּשֻׁהוּ (vayyitteshuhu) – Root: נטשׁ (natash); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and they abandoned him”; Notes: Suggests being forsaken or left desolate after ruin.
- אֶל־הֶהָרִים (el-heharim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Preposition אֶל + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “upon the mountains”; Notes: Indicates where his remains (branches) were cast—high places, symbolic of the heights of power turned to ruin.
- וּבְכָל־גֵּאָיֹות (u-vechol-geʾayot) – Root: גיא (gay’); Form: Conjunction + preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “and in all the valleys”; Notes: Complements the contrast between mountains and valleys, symbolizing total desolation across all levels.
- נָפְלוּ (naflu) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they fell”; Notes: Refers to branches falling—a vivid image of collapse and ruin.
- דָּלִיֹּותָיו (daliyotav) – Root: דלה (dalah); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his branches”; Notes: Represents the extensions of the cedar’s grandeur—its influence or subordinates—now fallen.
- וַתִּשָּׁבַרְנָה (vattishavarnah) – Root: שׁבר (shavar); Form: Niphal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “and were broken”; Notes: Depicts the breaking of limbs (branches), metaphor for destruction of power or empire.
- פֹארֹתָיו (poʾrotav) – Root: פאר (paʾar); Form: Noun feminine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “his boughs”; Notes: Associated with beauty and splendor—now shattered.
- בְּכֹל אֲפִיקֵי הָאָרֶץ (bechol afiqei ha-aretz) – Root: אפיק (afiq); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct + definite noun; Translation: “in all the ravines of the land”; Notes: Denotes complete territorial ruin—the once-great empire now lies scattered everywhere.
- וַיֵּרְדוּ (vayyeredu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they came down”; Notes: Suggests withdrawal or retreat from the shade of protection once provided by the great tree (empire).
- מִצִּלּוֹ (mi-tsillo) – Root: צל (tsel); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “from his shadow”; Notes: “Shadow” symbolizes shelter, dominance, or influence—now departed.
- כָּל־עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ (kol-ʿammei ha-aretz) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + definite noun; Translation: “all the peoples of the earth”; Notes: Depicts the nations that once benefited from the empire’s power but now abandon it.
- וַיִּטְּשֻׁהוּ (vayyitteshuhu) – Root: נטשׁ (natash); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and they left him”; Notes: Repetition of abandonment emphasizes the total forsaking of the fallen power—no ally remains.