Isaiah 33:23

נִטְּשׁ֖וּ חֲבָלָ֑יִךְ בַּל־יְחַזְּק֤וּ כֵן־תָּרְנָם֙ בַּל־פָּ֣רְשׂוּ נֵ֔ס אָ֣ז חֻלַּ֤ק עַֽד־שָׁלָל֙ מַרְבֶּ֔ה פִּסְחִ֖ים בָּ֥זְזוּ בַֽז׃

Your ropes are loosed; they do not hold the base of their mast firm, they do not spread the sail. Then the spoil of abundant plunder is divided; the lame take the prey.

Morphology

1. נִטְּשׁ֖וּ (nitteshu) – Root: נטשׁ; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person common plural; Translation: “are loosed”; Notes: Passive verb describing loosened or abandoned cords.
2. חֲבָלָ֑יִךְ (ḥavalayikh) – Root: חבל; Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your ropes”; Notes: Likely refers to ship ropes or cords of a tent.
3. בַּל־יְחַזְּק֤וּ (bal-yeḥazzequ) – Root: חזק; Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with negation; Translation: “they do not make firm”; Notes: Describes the inability to stabilize or support.
4. כֵן־תָּרְנָם֙ (ken-tornam) – Root: תּרן; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “the base of their mast”; Notes: Rare nautical term related to mast support.
5. בַּל־פָּ֣רְשׂוּ (bal-parṣu) – Root: פרשׂ; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with negation; Translation: “they did not spread”; Notes: Refers to the act of unfurling sails.
6. נֵ֔ס (nes) – Root: נסס; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sail” or “banner”; Notes: In context, refers to the ship’s sail, not a battle banner.
7. אָ֣ז (ʾaz) – Root: אז; Form: Adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Marks transition to consequence or result.
8. חֻלַּ֤ק (ḥullaq) – Root: חלק; Form: Pual perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was divided”; Notes: Passive form referring to the distribution of spoil.
9. עַֽד־שָׁלָל֙ (ʿad-shalal) – Root: שלל; Form: Preposition עַד + noun masculine singular; Translation: “abundant plunder” or “great spoil”; Notes: Phrase emphasizes magnitude.
10. מַרְבֶּ֔ה (marbeh) – Root: רבה; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “of abundance” or “increasing”; Notes: Modifies the previous noun phrase.
11. פִּסְחִ֖ים (pisḥim) – Root: פסח; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “the lame”; Notes: Symbolic of the weak or unlikely victors.
12. בָּ֥זְזוּ (bazzu) – Root: בזז; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they plundered”; Notes: Describes the action of taking spoil.
13. בַֽז (baz) – Root: בז; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prey” or “the spoil”; Notes: Object of the plundering by the lame.