שְׂאוּ־נֵ֣ס צִיֹּ֔ונָה הָעִ֖יזוּ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ כִּ֣י רָעָ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא מִצָּפֹ֖ון וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹֽול׃
Lift up a banner toward Tsiyyon; take refuge, do not stand still, for evil I am bringing from the north and great destruction.
Morphology
- שְׂאוּ (seʾu) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Lift up”; Notes: A call to raise or display something, often used with banners or voices.
- נֵ֣ס (nes) – Root: נסס (nasas); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a banner”; Notes: Often used for a signal or rallying point in war or warning.
- צִיֹּ֔ונָה (Tsiyyonah) – Root: ציון (Tsiyyon); Form: Proper noun feminine with directional he (־ָה); Translation: “toward Tsiyyon”; Notes: The directional ending (he locale) shows movement toward the city.
- הָעִ֖יזוּ (haʿizu) – Root: עוז (ʿuz); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Take refuge” or “strengthen yourselves”; Notes: Causative verb; may imply haste, courage, or urgency.
- אַל־תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ (ʾal-taʿamodu) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Negative particle אַל + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural (jussive); Translation: “do not stand still”; Notes: Expresses urgent prohibition against inaction.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a causal explanation.
- רָעָ֗ה (raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Calamity or disaster being foretold.
- אָנֹכִ֛י (anokhi) – Root: –; Form: Independent personal pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Stresses the divine speaker (YHWH).
- מֵבִ֥יא (meviʾ) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Hifil participle masculine singular; Translation: “am bringing”; Notes: Causative participle; expresses ongoing or imminent action.
- מִצָּפֹ֖ון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון (tsafon); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: Refers to the direction from which judgment or enemy will come.
- וְשֶׁ֥בֶר (ve-shever) – Root: שבר (shever); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and destruction”; Notes: Refers to a violent breaking or ruin, often in warfare.
- גָּדֹֽול (gadol) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Describes the magnitude of the impending destruction.