וַתִּמְצָ֨א כַקֵּ֤ן יָדִי֙ לְחֵ֣יל הָֽעַמִּ֔ים וְכֶאֱסֹף֙ בֵּיצִ֣ים עֲזֻבֹ֔ות כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲנִ֣י אָסָ֑פְתִּי וְלֹ֤א הָיָה֙ נֹדֵ֣ד כָּנָ֔ף וּפֹצֶ֥ה פֶ֖ה וּמְצַפְצֵֽף׃
And my hand found as a nest the wealth of the peoples, and as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; and there was none that fluttered a wing, or opened a mouth, or chirped.
Morphology
- וַתִּמְצָ֨א (va-timtza) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And [it] found”; Notes: Refers to “my hand” as a feminine noun.
- כַקֵּ֤ן (ka-ken) – Root: קן (ken); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as a nest”; Notes: Simile for easy conquest.
- יָדִי (yadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my hand”; Notes: Agent of the action, symbolizing strength.
- לְחֵיל (le-ḥeil) – Root: חיל (ḥayil); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “for the wealth of”; Notes: Often means strength or riches, here likely “wealth.”
- הָעַמִּים (ha-ʿammim) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite article + noun masculine plural; Translation: “the peoples”; Notes: Refers to conquered nations.
- וְכֶאֱסֹף (ve-keʾesof) – Root: אסף (ʾasaf); Form: Conjunction + preposition כְּ + infinitive construct; Translation: “and as gathering”; Notes: Continues the simile with another image.
- בֵּיצִים (beitsim) – Root: בֵּיצָה (beitsah); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “eggs”; Notes: Metaphor for vulnerable treasures.
- עֲזֻבֹות (ʿazuvot) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Passive participle feminine plural; Translation: “abandoned”; Notes: Describes the helplessness of the plundered.
- כָּל־הָאָרֶץ (kol-haʾaretz) – Root: כל + ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Construct chain: noun + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “all the earth”; Notes: Universal scope of conquest.
- אֲנִי (ani) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Subject of the verb “gathered.”
- אָסָפְתִּי (asaf’ti) – Root: אסף (ʾasaf); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I gathered”; Notes: Refers to collecting spoils without resistance.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and none”; Notes: Introduces the absence of resistance.
- הָיָה (hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Denotes the state of total silence and surrender.
- נֹדֵד (noded) – Root: נדד (nadad); Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “fluttering”; Notes: Describes a bird reacting in fear—none did so.
- כָּנָף (kanaf) – Root: כנף (kanaf); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a wing”; Notes: Symbol of flight or escape—none fled.
- וּפֹצֶה (u-potseh) – Root: פצה (patzah); Form: Conjunction + Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “or opening [a mouth]”; Notes: No outcry or protest was uttered.
- פֶה (peh) – Root: פה; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “mouth”; Notes: Refers to speech or protest.
- וּמְצַפְצֵף (u-metsaftsef) – Root: צפצף (tsaf-tsaf); Form: Conjunction + Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “or chirping”; Notes: Describes bird-like sound—none dared even whisper.