עַֽל־כָּל־שְׁפָיִ֣ם בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ שֹֽׁדְדִ֔ים כִּ֣י חֶ֤רֶב לַֽיהוָה֙ אֹֽכְלָ֔ה מִקְצֵה־אֶ֖רֶץ וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ אֵ֥ין שָׁלֹ֖ום לְכָל־בָּשָֽׂר׃ ס
Upon all the heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of YHWH devours from one end of the land to the other end of the land; there is no peace for all flesh.
Morphology
- עַל־כָּל־שְׁפָיִם (ʿal-kol-shefayim) – Root: שׁפה; Form: Preposition + construct noun phrase; Translation: “upon all the heights”; Notes: Refers to elevated places in the wilderness, likely strategic or symbolic.
- בַּמִּדְבָּר (ba-midbar) – Root: דבר; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Geographic setting of invasion or destruction.
- בָּאוּ (baʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have come”; Notes: Refers to the invaders or destroyers entering the land.
- שֹׁדְדִים (shodedim) – Root: שׁדד; Form: Qal active participle masculine plural; Translation: “destroyers”; Notes: Violent agents of judgment or invading forces.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the devastation.
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of war and divine judgment.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: היה; Form: Preposition לְ + divine name; Translation: “of YHWH”; Notes: Possessive construction—YHWH’s instrument of judgment.
- אֹכְלָה (ʾokhlah) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal participle feminine singular or noun; Translation: “devours”; Notes: Personifies the sword as actively consuming.
- מִקְצֵה־אֶרֶץ (miqtseh-erets) – Root: קצה; Form: Preposition + construct noun + absolute noun; Translation: “from one end of the land”; Notes: Indicates total geographic coverage.
- וְעַד־קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ (ve-ʿad-qtseh ha-aretz) – Root: קצה, ארץ; Form: Conjunction + preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “to the other end of the land”; Notes: Completes the merism emphasizing totality.
- אֵין (ein) – Root: אין; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Denies existence of peace.
- שָׁלֹום (shalom) – Root: שלם; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “peace”; Notes: Absence of security, well-being, or rest.
- לְכָל־בָּשָׂר (le-kol-basar) – Root: בשר; Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “for all flesh”; Notes: Universal impact—affects all humanity.