Jeremiah 13:21

מַה־תֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־יִפְקֹ֣ד עָלַ֔יִךְ וְ֠אַתְּ לִמַּ֨דְתְּ אֹתָ֥ם עָלַ֛יִךְ אַלֻּפִ֖ים לְרֹ֑אשׁ הֲלֹ֤וא חֲבָלִים֙ יֹאחֱז֔וּךְ כְּמֹ֖ו אֵ֥שֶׁת לֵדָֽה׃

What will you say when He appoints over you—and you, you have taught them—chiefs to be over you? Will not pangs seize you, like a woman giving birth?

Morphology

1. מַה (mah) – Root: מה; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “What”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical or prophetic question.
2. תֹּֽאמְרִי (toʾmri) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “will you say”; Notes: Feminine subject addressed (e.g., the daughter of Tsiyon).
3. כִּֽי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “when” or “that”; Notes: Conditional or temporal clause marker.
4. יִפְקֹד (yifqod) – Root: פקד; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he appoints / visits”; Notes: Can imply judgment, appointment, or punishment.
5. עָלַיִךְ (ʿalayikh) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “upon you”; Notes: Directed toward a female addressee.
6. וְאַתְּ (ve-ʾat) – Root: את; Form: Independent pronoun, 2nd person feminine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Emphatic personal pronoun.
7. לִמַּדְתְּ (limmadt) – Root: למד; Form: Piel perfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “you have taught”; Notes: Piel indicates intensive or causative action.
8. אֹתָם (otam) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to those taught—possibly foreign rulers or invaders.
9. עָלַיִךְ (ʿalayikh) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “over you”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis; signals subjugation.
10. אַלּוּפִים (ʾallufim) – Root: אלף; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “chiefs / commanders”; Notes: Term used for leaders, often military or tribal.
11. לְרֹאשׁ (le-roʾsh) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as head / to be over”; Notes: Indicates positional authority.
12. הֲלֹוא (halo) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Is it not…?”; Notes: Rhetorical device expecting agreement.
13. חֲבָלִים (ḥavalim) – Root: חבל; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “pangs / birth pangs”; Notes: Refers to suffering, particularly labor pains.
14. יֹאחֱזוּךְ (yoʾḥezuk) – Root: אחז; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “will seize you”; Notes: Poetic metaphor of being overtaken by labor.
15. כְּמוֹ (kemo) – Root: כמו; Form: Comparative particle; Translation: “like / as”; Notes: Introduces simile.
16. אֵשֶׁת (ʾeshet) – Root: אשה; Form: Noun feminine singular in construct; Translation: “a woman of”; Notes: Construct form leading into “labor.”
17. לֵדָה (leida) – Root: ילד; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “birth”; Notes: Refers to the act of giving birth; used metaphorically for pain and distress.