קֹולָ֖הּ כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ יֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּֽי־בְחַ֣יִל יֵלֵ֔כוּ וּבְקַרְדֻּמֹּות֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔הּ כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י עֵצִֽים׃
Her sound shall go like a serpent, for with an army they shall march, and with axes they have come to her, like those who cut wood.
Morphology
- קֹולָהּ (qolah) – Root: קול; Form: Noun masculine singular + 3fs suffix; Translation: “her sound”; Notes: Refers to Egypt’s weakened voice in defeat.
- כַּנָּחָשׁ (ka-naḥash) – Root: נחשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a serpent”; Notes: Simile comparing Egypt’s voice to a hissing snake.
- יֵלֵךְ (yelekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall go”; Notes: Describes the progression of the sound.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- בְחַיִל (ve-ḥayil) – Root: חיל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with an army”; Notes: Denotes military might.
- יֵלֵכוּ (yeleku) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall march”; Notes: Describes the advance of the invaders.
- וּבְקַרְדֻּמֹּות (u-veqardumot) – Root: קרדּם; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and with axes”; Notes: Weapons of destruction, here compared to lumber tools.
- בָּאוּ (baʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have come”; Notes: Invading army arrives.
- לָהּ (lah) – Root: לה; Form: Preposition + 3fs suffix; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Refers to Egypt personified as feminine.
- כְּחֹטְבֵי (ke-ḥotvei) – Root: חצב / חטב; Form: Preposition + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “like cutters of”; Notes: Simile comparing attackers to woodcutters.
- עֵצִים (ʿetsim) – Root: עץ; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “trees / wood”; Notes: Completes the comparison—invaders chopping through Egypt as woodcutters fell trees.