הַעִירֹ֤ותִי מִצָּפֹון֙ וַיַּ֔את מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֖מֶשׁ יִקְרָ֣א בִשְׁמִ֑י וְיָבֹ֤א סְגָנִים֙ כְּמֹו־חֹ֔מֶר וּכְמֹ֥ו יֹוצֵ֖ר יִרְמָס־טִֽיט׃
I have stirred up one from the north, and he comes; from the rising of the sun he calls upon My name. And he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as a potter treads clay.
Morphology
- הַעִירֹותִי (ha-ʿiroti) – Root: עיר (ʿur); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular with definite article; Translation: “I have stirred up”; Notes: Hifil indicates causation — YHWH has incited or awakened someone.
- מִצָּפֹון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון (tsafon); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: Often associated with judgment or invasion in prophetic texts.
- וַיַּאת (va-yaʾat) – Root: אתה (ʾatah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he comes”; Notes: Narrative past action connected to YHWH’s stirring.
- מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ (mi-mizraḥ-shemesh) – Root: זרח (zaraḥ) / שמש (shemesh); Form: Construct phrase “from the rising of the sun”; Translation: “from the east”; Notes: Parallel to “north,” possibly poetic balance.
- יִקְרָא (yiqra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he calls”; Notes: Ongoing or repeated action, often used for proclaiming or invoking.
- בִשְׁמִי (bi-shmi) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “upon My name”; Notes: Indicates the agent recognizes or uses YHWH’s authority.
- וְיָבֹא (ve-yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he shall come”; Notes: Continues the narrative sequence.
- סְגָנִים (seganim) – Root: סגן (segan); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “rulers”; Notes: Refers to officials or nobles who will be overthrown.
- כְּמֹו־חֹמֶר (kemo-ḥomer) – Root: חמר (ḥomer); Form: Comparative particle + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as upon mortar”; Notes: Simile indicating ease of trampling.
- וּכְמֹו (u-kemo) – Root: כמו (kemo); Form: Conjunction + comparative particle; Translation: “and as”; Notes: Continues the simile.
- יֹוצֵר (yotser) – Root: יצר (yatsar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “a potter”; Notes: Craftsman who shapes clay, metaphor for domination.
- יִרְמָס (yirmas) – Root: רמס (ramas); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he treads”; Notes: Indicates trampling or crushing.
- טִיט (tit) – Root: טיט (tit); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “clay”; Notes: Final object of the trampling metaphor; symbolizes weakness of opposition.