כֹּ֣ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנֵּה־מַ֜יִם עֹלִ֤ים מִצָּפֹון֙ וְהָיוּ֙ לְנַ֣חַל שֹׁוטֵ֔ף וְיִשְׁטְפוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלֹואָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֣שְׁבֵי בָ֑הּ וְזָֽעֲקוּ֙ הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְהֵילִ֕ל כֹּ֖ל יֹושֵׁ֥ב הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Thus says YHWH: “Behold, waters are rising from the north, and they shall become a torrent overflowing, and they shall overflow the land and its fullness, the city and those who dwell in it. And the men shall cry out, and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: Particle; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Standard introduction to a prophetic oracle.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Prophetic speech formula.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Introduces imminent action.
- מַיִם (mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun masculine plural (dual form used as plural); Translation: “waters”; Notes: Symbolic of invading armies.
- עֹלִים (ʿolim) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are rising”; Notes: Describes continuous action.
- מִצָּפֹון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: Typical direction of invasion (Babylon).
- וְהָיוּ (ve-hayu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall become”; Notes: Marks transformation into destructive force.
- לְנַחַל (le-nakhal) – Root: נחל; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “as a torrent”; Notes: Figurative imagery for sweeping destruction.
- שֹׁוטֵף (shotef) – Root: שׁטף; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “overflowing”; Notes: Modifies torrent, highlighting overwhelming force.
- וְיִשְׁטְפוּ (ve-yishtefu) – Root: שׁטף; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall overflow”; Notes: Describes the sweeping advance.
- אֶרֶץ (erets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “land”; Notes: The land affected by invasion.
- וּמְלֹואָהּ (u-meloʾah) – Root: מלא; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular construct + 3fs suffix; Translation: “and its fullness”; Notes: Refers to everything contained in the land.
- עִיר (ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “city”; Notes: Represents urban centers subject to destruction.
- וְיֹשְׁבֵי (ve-yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Conjunction + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and those who dwell”; Notes: Inhabitants of the city.
- בָהּ (bah) – Root: בה; Form: Preposition + 3fs suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers to the city.
- וְזָעֲקוּ (ve-zaʿaqu) – Root: זעק; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person common plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall cry out”; Notes: Response of the people to devastation.
- הָאָדָם (ha-adam) – Root: אדם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the man / humanity”; Notes: Collective reference to mankind in the land.
- וְהֵילִל (ve-helil) – Root: ילל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and shall wail”; Notes: Mourning cry in response to catastrophe.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: כל; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “every”; Notes: Universal scope of the wailing.
- יֹושֵׁב (yoshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “inhabitant”; Notes: General term for residents.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-arets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Completes universal lamentation.