מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לִשְׁמָמָ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה וֶאֱדֹ֕ום לְמִדְבַּ֥ר שְׁמָמָ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה מֵֽחֲמַס֙ בְּנֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁפְכ֥וּ דָם־נָקִ֖יא בְּאַרְצָֽם׃
Mitsrayim shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, because of the violence done to the sons of Yehuda, for they have shed innocent blood in their land.
Morphology
- מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt, representing a foreign power and ancient oppressor of Yisraʾel.
- לִשְׁמָמָ֣ה (lishmamāh) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for desolation”; Notes: Denotes a state of ruin or barrenness, emphasizing complete devastation.
- תִֽהְיֶ֔ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Expresses future certainty—Egypt’s fate as utter desolation.
- וֶאֱדֹ֕ום (ve-Edom) – Root: אדום (ʾEdom); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun; Translation: “and Edom”; Notes: A neighboring nation often hostile to Yisraʾel, symbolizing perpetual enmity.
- לְמִדְבַּ֥ר (le-midbar) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for a wilderness”; Notes: Indicates transformation into a barren desert—judgmental imagery of desolation.
- שְׁמָמָ֖ה (shemamāh) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Repetition of the theme reinforces the permanence of Edom’s ruin.
- תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה (tihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Parallel to the earlier verb, creating balance in the prophecy of judgment on Mitsrayim and Edom.
- מֵֽחֲמַס֙ (me-ḥamas) – Root: חמס (ḥamas); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “because of the violence”; Notes: Indicates cause—divine retribution due to acts of cruelty and injustice.
- בְּנֵ֣י (be-nei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Preposition בְּ (here functioning in construct) + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “against the sons of”; Notes: Expresses relational identity—those belonging to Yehudah.
- יְהוּדָ֔ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהד (Yehud); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom of Yisraʾel, here as the victim of violent oppression.
- אֲשֶׁר־ (ʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces the clause explaining the reason for judgment.
- שָׁפְכ֥וּ (shafkhu) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have shed”; Notes: A violent act resulting in guilt and divine retribution.
- דָם־נָקִ֖יא (dam-naqi) – Root: דם (dam) / נקי (naqi); Form: Noun masculine singular + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “innocent blood”; Notes: Refers to the shedding of blameless lives, an egregious sin provoking divine wrath.
- בְּאַרְצָֽם׃ (be-artsam) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “in their land”; Notes: Specifies the location of the violence—within the territory belonging to Yehudah, emphasizing sacrilege against the covenant land.