לְפָנָיו֙ אָ֣כְלָה אֵ֔שׁ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו תְּלַהֵ֣ט לֶֽהָבָ֑ה כְּגַן־עֵ֨דֶן הָאָ֜רֶץ לְפָנָ֗יו וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ מִדְבַּ֣ר שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְגַם־פְּלֵיטָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֥יְתָה לֹּֽו׃
Before it a fire devours, and after it a flame burns; like the garden of ʿEden is the land before it, and after it a desolate wilderness, and also there has not been escape for it.
Morphology
- לְפָנָיו֙ (le-fanav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct with suffix 3ms; Translation: “before it”; Notes: Indicates the area in front of the advancing subject.
- אָ֣כְלָה (ʾakh’lah) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “devours”; Notes: The verb is feminine to agree with the subject “fire.”
- אֵ֔שׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אשׁ (ʾesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Symbolizes destruction and consuming power.
- וְאַחֲרָ֖יו (ve-aḥarav) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Conjunction + preposition אַחַר + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and after it”; Notes: Marks what follows the destructive advance.
- תְּלַהֵ֣ט (telahēt) – Root: להט (lahat); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it flames”; Notes: Expresses intensive action, indicating blazing or burning brightly.
- לֶֽהָבָ֑ה (lehavah) – Root: להב (lahav); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “flame”; Notes: Represents an active, consuming blaze.
- כְּגַן־ (ke-gan) – Root: גן (gan); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “like the garden of”; Notes: Introduces a simile comparing the land to ʿEden.
- עֵ֨דֶן (ʿEden) – Root: עדן (ʿeden); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “ʿEden”; Notes: The paradisiacal place of delight and abundance.
- הָאָ֜רֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to the region subject to transformation by fire.
- לְפָנָ֗יו (le-fanav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct with suffix 3ms; Translation: “before it”; Notes: Repeated for poetic emphasis of contrast.
- וְאַֽחֲרָיו֙ (ve-aḥarav) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Conjunction + preposition אַחַר + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and after it”; Notes: Sets the opposing condition following devastation.
- מִדְבַּ֣ר (midbar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: Indicates a barren, uninhabited land left in ruin.
- שְׁמָמָ֔ה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Describes total emptiness or devastation.
- וְגַם־ (ve-gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Adds emphasis, introducing an absolute statement.
- פְּלֵיטָ֖ה (peleitah) – Root: פליט (palat); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “escape”; Notes: Refers to any survivor or remnant, here negated.
- לֹא־ (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the existence of escape.
- הָ֥יְתָה (hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Expresses existence or occurrence, here denied.
- לֹּֽו (lo) – Root: לו (lo); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3ms; Translation: “for it”; Notes: Refers back to the invading entity, emphasizing the totality of destruction.