שִׁלְח֣וּ מַגָּ֔ל כִּ֥י בָשַׁ֖ל קָצִ֑יר בֹּ֤אֽוּ רְדוּ֙ כִּֽי־מָ֣לְאָה גַּ֔ת הֵשִׁ֨יקוּ֙ הַיְקָבִ֔ים כִּ֥י רַבָּ֖ה רָעָתָֽם׃
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, tread, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow, for their evil is great.
Morphology
- שִׁלְח֣וּ (shilḥu) – Root: שלח (shalach); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Put forth” or “send forth”; Notes: A command to begin the act of harvesting, figuratively calling for judgment to commence.
- מַגָּ֔ל (maggal) – Root: מגל (maggal); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “sickle”; Notes: A harvesting instrument symbolizing divine reaping of the nations in judgment.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the cause or reason for the command to act.
- בָשַׁ֖ל (bashal) – Root: בשל (bashal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is ripe”; Notes: Literally “has ripened,” referring to the maturity of the harvest as a metaphor for the fullness of wickedness.
- קָצִ֑יר (qatsir) – Root: קצר (qatsar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “harvest”; Notes: Symbolic of judgment time when deeds are reaped according to their kind.
- בֹּ֤אֽוּ (boʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Come”; Notes: An invitation to approach or engage in the divine act of treading judgment.
- רְדוּ֙ (redu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Tread down”; Notes: Refers to treading grapes in the winepress, metaphorically depicting the crushing of the nations in judgment.
- כִּֽי־מָ֣לְאָה (ki-maleʾah) – Root: מלא (maleʾ); Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “for is full”; Notes: Explains the reason for action—divine judgment is ready, symbolized by the fullness of the winepress.
- גַּ֔ת (gat) – Root: גת (gat); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “winepress”; Notes: Represents the place where grapes are trodden, a frequent biblical image for divine retribution.
- הֵשִׁ֨יקוּ֙ (heshiku) – Root: שׁוק (shuq); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they overflow”; Notes: Describes the vats or presses pouring out, symbolizing the abundance of wickedness meriting judgment.
- הַיְקָבִ֔ים (ha-yeqavim) – Root: יקב (yeqev); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the vats”; Notes: Containers for wine collecting beneath the press, filled to overflowing—a vivid image of judgment’s completeness.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the ultimate cause or rationale for the divine judgment.
- רַבָּ֖ה (rabbah) – Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is great”; Notes: Describes the magnitude or abundance of something—in this case, moral corruption.
- רָעָתָֽם׃ (raʿatam) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their evil”; Notes: Refers to the collective wickedness of the nations, the cause of divine retribution.