נִלְכְּדָה֙ הַקְּרִיֹּ֔ות וְהַמְּצָדֹ֖ות נִתְפָּ֑שָׂה וְֽ֠הָיָה לֵ֞ב גִּבֹּורֵ֤י מֹואָב֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֔וּא כְּלֵ֖ב אִשָּׁ֥ה מְצֵרָֽה׃
The cities are captured/Qeriyyot is captured, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moʾav shall be on that day like the heart of a woman in travail.
Morphology
- נִלְכְּדָה (nilkedah) – Root: לכד; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is captured”; Notes: Passive, describing the fall of cities.
- הַקְּרִיֹּות (ha-qeriyyot) – Root: קריה; Form: Definite article + noun feminine plural absolute; Translation: “the cities”; Notes: Refers broadly to Moʾav’s urban centers.
- וְהַמְּצָדֹות (ve-ha-metsadot) – Root: מצד; Form: Conjunction + definite article + noun feminine plural absolute; Translation: “and the strongholds”; Notes: Fortified places of defense.
- נִתְפָּשָׂה (nitpasah) – Root: תפשׂ; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “is seized”; Notes: Passive, describing the conquest of fortresses.
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect (resultative/future sense) 3rd person masculine singular with prefixed conjunction; Translation: “and it shall be”; Notes: Introduces the consequence.
- לֵב (lev) – Root: לב; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “heart”; Notes: Figurative for courage or inner strength.
- גִּבֹּורֵי (giborei) – Root: גבור; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “of the mighty men”; Notes: Refers to warriors or champions of Moʾav.
- מֹואָב (Moʾav) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: Object of divine judgment in the prophecy.
- בַּיֹּום (ba-yom) – Root: יום; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Refers to the day of judgment.
- הַהוּא (ha-hu) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular with article; Translation: “that”; Notes: Specific reference to the future day of Moʾav’s downfall.
- כְּלֵב (ke-lev) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “like the heart of”; Notes: Comparative simile.
- אִשָּׁה (ishah) – Root: אשׁה; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “a woman”; Notes: Subject of the simile.
- מְצֵרָה (metserah) – Root: צרר; Form: Piel participle feminine singular; Translation: “in travail”; Notes: Refers to the anguish and pain of childbirth, metaphor for terror and weakness.