גַּם־הֵ֗ם אִתֹּ֛ו יָרְד֥וּ שְׁאֹ֖ולָה אֶל־חַלְלֵי־חָ֑רֶב וּזְרֹעֹ֛ו יָשְׁב֥וּ בְצִלֹּ֖ו בְּתֹ֥וךְ גֹּויִֽם׃
They also went down with him to Sheol, to the slain by the sword; and his arm dwelt in his shadow among the nations.
Morphology
- גַּם־הֵם (gam-hem) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “They also”; Notes: Adds emphasis to the universality of the descent — not only he (the cedar/empire) but his associates share his fate.
- אִתֹּו (itto) – Root: —; Form: Preposition עִם (“with”) in contracted form + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Indicates companionship in judgment — allies or dependents share the same doom.
- יָרְדוּ (yaredu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they went down”; Notes: A common idiom for descent to Sheol; denotes death or national collapse.
- שְׁאֹולָה (sheʾolah) – Root: שׁאל (shaʾal); Form: Noun feminine singular with directional ending (he-locative); Translation: “to Sheol”; Notes: The realm of the dead — parallel to “the pit” or “earth beneath.”
- אֶל־חַלְלֵי־חָרֶב (el-chalalei-charev) – Root: חלל (ḥalal) / חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition אֶל + plural construct noun + noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the slain of the sword”; Notes: Describes those killed violently in war — a common image for divine retribution upon the proud.
- וּזְרֹעֹו (uzroʿo) – Root: זרוע (zeroaʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and his arm”; Notes: Metaphorical for power, allies, or military strength associated with him.
- יָשְׁבוּ (yashvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they dwelt” or “they sat”; Notes: Suggests abiding presence — the continuation of defeat in the underworld setting.
- בְצִלֹּו (be-tsillo) – Root: צל (tsel); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine singular construct + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “in his shadow”; Notes: Shadow imagery denotes subjection or association — the “arm” (his people) remains under his fallen shadow even in Sheol.
- בְּתֹוךְ גֹּויִם (be-tokh goyim) – Root: תוך (tokh) / גוי (goy); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct + plural noun; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Indicates Sheol as the leveling ground where all nations meet — the proud and the humble alike.