Isaiah 23:16

קְחִ֥י כִנֹּ֛ור סֹ֥בִּי עִ֖יר זֹונָ֣ה נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה הֵיטִ֤יבִי נַגֵּן֙ הַרְבִּי־שִׁ֔יר לְמַ֖עַן תִּזָּכֵֽרִי׃

Take a lyre, go around the city, forgotten harlot. Make sweet melody, multiply song, in order that you may be remembered.

Morphology

1. קְחִ֥י (qeḥi) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Take”; Notes: Command directed at a feminine subject.
2. כִנֹּ֛ור (kinnor) – Root: כנר; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “lyre”; Notes: A stringed musical instrument.
3. סֹ֥בִּי (sovi) – Root: סבב; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Go around”; Notes: Motion around a location, addressed to a woman.
4. עִ֖יר (ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “city”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “go around.”
5. זֹונָ֣ה (zonah) – Root: זנה; Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “harlot”; Notes: Figuratively used for a city or nation involved in idolatry or corrupt trade.
6. נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה (nishkaḥah) – Root: שכח; Form: Nifal participle feminine singular; Translation: “forgotten”; Notes: Describes the harlot, possibly the city of Ṣor.
7. הֵיטִ֤יבִי (heitivi) – Root: יטב; Form: Hifil imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Make sweet”; Notes: Causative form, implies skill or improvement.
8. נַגֵּן֙ (naggen) – Root: נגן; Form: Piel infinitive absolute or imperative; Translation: “play music”; Notes: Emphasizes or intensifies the musical command.
9. הַרְבִּי־שִׁ֔יר (harbi-shir) – Root: רבה / שיר; Form: Hifil imperative feminine singular + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Multiply song”; Notes: Urges repetition or increase of music.
10. לְמַ֖עַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען; Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order that”; Notes: Introduces purpose clause.
11. תִּזָּכֵֽרִי (tizzakheri) – Root: זכר; Form: Nifal imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you may be remembered”; Notes: Passive/reflexive future action; corresponds to prior forgetfulness.