Isaiah 47:8

וְעַתָּ֞ה שִׁמְעִי־זֹ֤את עֲדִינָה֙ הַיֹּושֶׁ֣בֶת לָבֶ֔טַח הָאֹֽמְרָה֙ בִּלְבָ֔בָהּ אֲנִ֖י וְאַפְסִ֣י עֹ֑וד לֹ֤א אֵשֵׁב֙ אַלְמָנָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א אֵדַ֖ע שְׁכֹֽול׃

And now hear this, O delicate one, who sits securely, who says in her heart, ‘I am, and there is none besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know loss of children.’

Morphology

1. וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “and now”; Notes: Marks a transition to direct address and divine rebuke.
2. שִׁמְעִי (shimʿi) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “hear”; Notes: Command directed to Babylon.
3. זֹאת (zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to what is being proclaimed or revealed.
4. עֲדִינָה (ʿadinah) – Root: עדן; Form: Adjective feminine singular (vocative); Translation: “delicate one”; Notes: Ironically addresses Babylon as pampered or refined.
5. הַיֹּושֶׁבֶת (ha-yoshevet) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “who sits”; Notes: Describes settled and self-assured posture.
6. לָבֶטַח (la-vetach) – Root: בטח; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “securely”; Notes: Indicates false confidence and ease.
7. הָאֹמְרָה (ha-ʾomrah) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal participle feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “who says”; Notes: Continues the description of the subject’s mindset.
8. בִּלְבָבָהּ (bilvavah) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her heart”; Notes: Indicates internal conviction or thought.
9. אֲנִי (ʾani) – Root: –; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Expresses arrogant self-exaltation.
10. וְאַפְסִי (ve-ʾafsi) – Root: אפס; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and none besides me”; Notes: Assertion of unrivaled supremacy, echoed later in prophetic critique.
11. עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “still” or “besides”; Notes: Part of the arrogant claim of uniqueness.
12. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the subsequent verb.
13. אֵשֵׁב (ʾeshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I shall sit”; Notes: Here: “I shall not sit [as]…”
14. אַלְמָנָה (ʾalmanah) – Root: אלמן; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “widow”; Notes: Symbol of loss, vulnerability, and judgment.
15. וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Continues the boastful denial of suffering.
16. אֵדַע (ʾedaʿ) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I shall know”; Notes: Denial of any experience with grief or loss.
17. שְׁכֹול (shəkol) – Root: שׁכל; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “loss of children”; Notes: Symbolic of national devastation and barrenness.