מַדּ֣וּעַ רָאִ֗יתִי הֵ֣מָּה חַתִּים֮ נְסֹגִ֣ים אָחֹור֒ וְגִבֹּורֵיהֶ֣ם יֻכַּ֔תּוּ וּמָנֹ֥וס נָ֖סוּ וְלֹ֣א הִפְנ֑וּ מָגֹ֥ור מִסָּבִ֖יב נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
Why have I seen them terrified, turning back? Even their warriors are beaten down, they flee in panic, and do not turn around; terror is all around,” declares YHWH.
Morphology
- מַדּוּעַ (maddūaʿ) – Root: ידע; Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why?”; Notes: Introduces the rhetorical question of astonishment.
- רָאִיתִי (raʾīti) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have seen”; Notes: The speaker (likely Yirmeyahu) describes a visionary or observational experience.
- הֵמָּה (hēmmāh) – Root: הוא; Form: Independent pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptian army.
- חַתִּים (ḥattīm) – Root: חתת; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “terrified”; Notes: Describes their psychological state—frightened or dismayed.
- נְסֹגִים אָחֹור (nesōgīm ʾāḥōr) – Root: סוג; Form: Qal participle masculine plural + adverb; Translation: “turning back”; Notes: Military retreat; literal and disgraceful reversal.
- וְגִבֹּורֵיהֶם (vegibbōrēhem) – Root: גבר; Form: Masculine plural construct with 3mp suffix; Translation: “and their warriors”; Notes: Elite or strong men of valor.
- יֻכַּתּוּ (yukkattū) – Root: כּתת; Form: Pual imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they are crushed”; Notes: Passive; shows they are defeated or broken.
- וּמָנֹוס (ūmānōs) – Root: נוס; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “flight” or “escape”; Notes: Abstract noun indicating panic fleeing.
- נָסוּ (nāsū) – Root: נוס; Form: Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “they fled”; Notes: Describes the actual act of escape.
- וְלֹא הִפְנוּ (velōʾ hifnū) – Root: פנה; Form: Hifil perfect 3mp + negative; Translation: “and did not turn”; Notes: Indicates fleeing without looking back.
- מָגֹור (māgōr) – Root: גור; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “terror”; Notes: Often used in prophetic texts to depict divine panic or dread.
- מִסָּבִיב (missāvīv) – Root: סבב; Form: Preposition (min) + adverb; Translation: “all around”; Notes: Encircling, inescapable dread.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה (neʾum-YHWH) – Root: נאם; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “declares YHWH”; Notes: Prophetic seal—marks divine speech or affirmation.