וְהָיָה֩ תַ֨חַת בֹּ֜שֶׂם מַ֣ק יִֽהְיֶ֗ה וְתַ֨חַת חֲגֹורָ֤ה נִקְפָּה֙ וְתַ֨חַת מַעֲשֶׂ֤ה מִקְשֶׁה֙ קָרְחָ֔ה וְתַ֥חַת פְּתִיגִ֖יל מַחֲגֹ֣רֶת שָׂ֑ק כִּי־תַ֖חַת יֹֽפִי׃
And it shall be: instead of perfume, decay shall be; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of a work of braided hair, baldness; and instead of a fine garment, a girding of sackcloth; branding instead of beauty.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect with vav-consecutive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and it shall be”; Notes: Introduces the result of prior judgment.
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת; Form: Preposition; Translation: “instead of”; Notes: Repeated for each comparison, marking reversal or substitution.
- בֹּשֶׂם (bosem) – Root: בשׂם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “perfume”; Notes: A symbol of luxury and beauty.
- מַק (maq) – Root: מקק; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “decay” or “rottenness”; Notes: Possibly refers to festering or stench from infection.
- יִהְיֶה (yihyeh) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Continuation of the result clause.
- חֲגוֹרָה (ḥagorah) – Root: חגר; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “belt” or “girdle”; Notes: Decorative item worn at the waist.
- נִקְפָּה (niqpah) – Root: נקף; Form: Nifal participle feminine singular; Translation: “a rope” or “a cord”; Notes: Crude substitute for a refined belt.
- מַעֲשֵׂה מִקְשֶׁה (maʿaseh miqsheh) – Root: עשׂה, קשׁה; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “a work of braided hair” or “elaborate design”; Notes: Refers to intricately braided hairstyles or decorative work.
- קָרְחָה (qarḥah) – Root: קרח; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “baldness”; Notes: A disgraceful condition in contrast to decorative hair.
- פְּתִיגִיל (petigil) – Root: Unclear; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “fine garment” or “robe”; Notes: Possibly derived from an Egyptian loanword meaning luxurious outerwear.
- מַחֲגֹרֶת שָׂק (maḥagoret saq) – Root: חגר, שׂק; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “a girding of sackcloth”; Notes: Sackcloth represents mourning, humility, and shame.
- כִּי־תַחַת (ki-taḥat) – Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “for instead of”; Notes: Summarizes the reversal.
- יֹפִי (yofi) – Root: יפה; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “beauty”; Notes: Final word, emphasizing the loss of elegance and grace.