פָּחֲד֤וּ בְצִיֹּון֙ חַטָּאִ֔ים אָחֲזָ֥ה רְעָדָ֖ה חֲנֵפִ֑ים מִ֣י יָג֣וּר לָ֗נוּ אֵ֚שׁ אֹוכֵלָ֔ה מִי־יָג֥וּר לָ֖נוּ מֹוקְדֵ֥י עֹולָֽם׃
Sinners in Tsiyyon are afraid; trembling has seized the hypocrites. Who among us can dwell with consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?
Morphology
- פָּחֲד֤וּ (paḥadu) – Root: פחד; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “they were afraid”; Notes: Expresses sudden or intense fear.
- בְצִיֹּון֙ (ve-Tsiyon) – Root: ציון; Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Tsiyon”; Notes: Refers to the city of YHWH, i.e., Jerusalem.
- חַטָּאִ֔ים (ḥattaʾim) – Root: חטא; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “sinners”; Notes: Those guilty of moral or covenantal failure.
- אָחֲזָ֥ה (ʾaḥazah) – Root: אחז; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has seized”; Notes: Subject is the abstract noun “trembling.”
- רְעָדָ֖ה (reʿadah) – Root: רעד; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “trembling”; Notes: Describes fear that manifests physically.
- חֲנֵפִ֑ים (ḥanefim) – Root: חנף; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “hypocrites” or “godless”; Notes: Those who are impious or disloyal to YHWH.
- מִ֣י (mi) – Root: interrogative; Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question expressing awe or fear.
- יָג֣וּר (yagur) – Root: גור; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “can dwell” or “sojourn”; Notes: Implies temporary or enduring presence with danger.
- לָ֗נוּ (lanu) – Root: לְ + אנחנו; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “among us” or “for us”; Notes: Emphasizes inclusion or proximity.
- אֵ֚שׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Symbol of divine judgment or holiness.
- אֹוכֵלָ֔ה (ʾokhelah) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “consuming”; Notes: Describes the character of the fire.
- מִי־יָג֥וּר (mi-yagur) – See: entries 7 and 8; repeated for emphasis; Notes: A second rhetorical question parallel to the first.
- מֹוקְדֵ֥י (moqede) – Root: יקד; Form: Pual participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “burnings of”; Notes: Intense, perpetual flames or heat.
- עֹולָֽם (ʿolam) – Root: עולם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “everlasting”; Notes: Often refers to time without end or perpetuity.