לְאֻמִּ֗ים כִּשְׁאֹ֞ון מַ֤יִם רַבִּים֙ יִשָּׁא֔וּן וְגָ֥עַר בֹּ֖ו וְנָ֣ס מִמֶּרְחָ֑ק וְרֻדַּ֗ף כְּמֹ֤ץ הָרִים֙ לִפְנֵי־ר֔וּחַ וּכְגַלְגַּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֥י סוּפָֽה׃
Nations shall roar like the roaring of many waters, but He shall rebuke it, and it shall flee far away; and it shall be chased like chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like whirling dust before the storm.
Morphology
- לְאֻמִּים (le’ummim) – Root: לאם (laʾam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “Nations”; Notes: Refers to Gentile peoples or hostile foreign powers.
- כִּשְׁאֹון (ki-she’on) – Root: שׁאון (she’on); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the noise of”; Notes: Introduces a simile of loud chaos.
- מַיִם (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun masculine plural (dual in form); Translation: “waters”; Notes: Common metaphor for restless nations.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) – Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Describes the volume of the water (and nations).
- יִשָּׁאוּן (yissa’un) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be lifted up” or “they shall surge”; Notes: Describes overwhelming tumult.
- וְגָעַר (ve-gaʿar) – Root: גער (gaʿar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “but He shall rebuke”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s rebuke that stops the nations.
- בֹּו (bo) – Root: Preposition + pronoun; Form: 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the roaring nations.
- וְנָס (ve-nas) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and it shall flee”; Notes: Describes reaction to YHWH’s rebuke.
- מִמֶּרְחָק (mi-merḥaq) – Root: רחק (raḥaq); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from far away” or “far off”; Notes: Describes the extent of the retreat.
- וְרֻדַּף (ve-ruddaf) – Root: רדף (radaf); Form: Pual perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and it shall be chased”; Notes: Passive form intensifies the idea of pursuit.
- כְּמֹץ (ka-mots) – Root: מוץ (mots); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like chaff”; Notes: Lightweight and easily scattered; metaphor for the nations.
- הָרִים (harim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “mountains”; Notes: Symbol of strength; here possibly the origin of the wind.
- לִפְנֵי־רוּחַ (lifnei-ruaḥ) – Root: פנה (panah), רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Preposition + construct + noun feminine singular; Translation: “before the wind”; Notes: Describes being scattered ahead of the wind’s force.
- וּכְגַלְגַּל (u-ke-galgal) – Root: גלגל (galgal); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and like whirling dust” or “rolling thing”; Notes: Possibly tumbleweed or wheel, imagery of instability.
- לִפְנֵי סוּפָה (lifnei sufah) – Root: סוף (suf); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “before the storm”; Notes: Destructive storm wind, emphasizing divine judgment.