שַׁאֲנַ֨ן מֹואָ֜ב מִנְּעוּרָ֗יו וְשֹׁקֵ֥ט הוּא֙ אֶל־שְׁמָרָ֔יו וְלֹֽא־הוּרַ֤ק מִכְּלִי֙ אֶל־כֶּ֔לִי וּבַגֹּולָ֖ה לֹ֣א הָלָ֑ךְ עַל־כֵּ֗ן עָמַ֤ד טַעְמֹו֙ בֹּ֔ו וְרֵיחֹ֖ו לֹ֥א נָמָֽר׃ ס
Moʾav has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; therefore his taste has remained in him, and his fragrance has not changed.
Morphology
- שַׁאֲנַן (shaʾanan) – Root: שׁאנ; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “at ease”; Notes: Conveys complacency, security.
- מֹואָב (Moʾav) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Proper place name; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: Nation under prophetic judgment.
- מִנְּעוּרָיו (min-neʿurav) – Root: נער; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “from his youth”; Notes: Refers to long-standing ease of Moʾav.
- וְשֹׁקֵט (ve-shoqet) – Root: שׁקט; Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and he is tranquil”; Notes: Reinforces the state of undisturbed quiet.
- הוּא (hu) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Independent pronoun 3ms; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers again to Moʾav.
- אֶל־שְׁמָרָיו (el-shemarav) – Root: שׁמר; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural + 3ms suffix; Translation: “upon his lees”; Notes: Wine imagery: undisturbed sediment, symbolizing untested ease.
- וְלֹא־הוּרַק (ve-lo-huraq) – Root: רוק; Form: Hophal perfect 3ms + negative; Translation: “and he has not been emptied”; Notes: Of wine, not transferred or disturbed.
- מִכְּלִי (mi-keli) – Root: כלי; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from vessel”; Notes: Continuation of wine metaphor.
- אֶל־כֶּלִי (el-keli) – Root: כלי; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to vessel”; Notes: Opposite end of transfer imagery.
- וּבַגֹּולָה (u-va-golah) – Root: גלה; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and in exile”; Notes: Refers to deportation of conquered peoples.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: Negation particle; Form: Particle; Translation: “not.”
- הָלָךְ (halakh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “he has gone”; Notes: Denies Moʾav’s experience of exile.
- עַל־כֵּן (ʿal-ken) – Root: Idiomatic; Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces consequence.
- עָמַד (ʿamad) – Root: עמד; Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “remained / stood”; Notes: Moʾav’s taste unchanged.
- טַעְמֹו (taʿmo) – Root: טעם; Form: Noun masculine singular + 3ms suffix; Translation: “his taste”; Notes: Wine metaphor for unchanged character.
- בֹּו (bo) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “in him.”
- וְרֵיחֹו (ve-reikho) – Root: ריח; Form: Noun masculine singular + 3ms suffix; Translation: “his fragrance”; Notes: Image of wine smell, extended metaphor of unchanged condition.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: Negative particle; Form: Adverb; Translation: “not.”
- נָמָר (namar) – Root: מרר or נמר (rare form); Form: Niphal perfect 3ms; Translation: “has changed”; Notes: Indicates no alteration of Moʾav’s condition.