Jeremiah 10:22

קֹ֤ול שְׁמוּעָה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה בָאָ֔ה וְרַ֥עַשׁ גָּדֹ֖ול מֵאֶ֣רֶץ צָפֹ֑ון לָשׂ֞וּם אֶת־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה שְׁמָמָ֖ה מְעֹ֥ון תַּנִּֽים׃ ס

A voice of a report—behold, it comes! And a great commotion from the land of the north, to make the cities of Yehuda a desolation, a habitation of jackals.

Morphology

1. קֹ֤ול (qol) – Root: קול; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “voice”; Notes: In construct with the next word, introducing a report.
2. שְׁמוּעָה֙ (shemuʿah) – Root: שמע; Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “report, rumor”; Notes: Often used in prophetic texts to introduce ominous news.
3. הִנֵּ֣ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Emphasizes what follows.
4. בָאָ֔ה (baʾah) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it comes”; Notes: Refers back to the “report.”
5. וְרַ֥עַשׁ (ve-raʿash) – Root: רעש; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and a commotion”; Notes: Indicates shaking, upheaval, noise.
6. גָּדֹ֖ול (gadol) – Root: גדל; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Modifies “commotion.”
7. מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (me-ʾerets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from a land”; Notes: Prefixed preposition indicating source.
8. צָפֹ֑ון (tsafon) – Root: צפן; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “north”; Notes: Refers to direction of the threat (often Babylon).
9. לָשׂ֞וּם (la-sum) – Root: שׂים; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to make”; Notes: Purpose clause introducing the result.
10. אֶת־עָרֵ֧י (et-ʿarei) – Root: עיר; Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “the cities of”; Notes: Construct phrase leading to “Yehudah.”
11. יְהוּדָ֛ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom.
12. שְׁמָמָ֖ה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Emphasizes complete ruin.
13. מְעֹ֥ון (meʿon) – Root: עון; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a dwelling”; Notes: Often with a negative or wild connotation.
14. תַּנִּֽים (tannim) – Root: תנן; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “jackals” or “dragons”; Notes: Symbolic of wild, uninhabited desolation.