Jeremiah 49:23

לְדַמֶּ֗שֶׂק בֹּ֤ושָֽׁה חֲמָת֙ וְאַרְפָּ֔ד כִּי־שְׁמֻעָ֥ה רָעָ֛ה שָׁמְע֖וּ נָמֹ֑גוּ בַּיָּ֣ם דְּאָגָ֔ה הַשְׁקֵ֖ט לֹ֥א יוּכָֽל׃

Concerning Damméseq: “Ḥamat is ashamed and Arpad, for they have heard an evil report; they are melted away. In the sea there is anxiety, it cannot be quiet.

Morphology

1. לְדַמֶּשֶׂק (le-Damméseq) – Root: דמשׂק; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “Concerning Damméseq (Damascus)”; Notes: Introduces the oracle directed against Damascus.
2. בֹּושָׁה (boshah) – Root: בושׁ; Form: Qal perfect 3fs; Translation: “is ashamed”; Notes: Feminine subject referring to Ḥamat.
3. חֲמָת (Ḥamat) – Root: חמת; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Ḥamat”; Notes: City-state north of Aram, often paired with Arpad.
4. וְאַרְפָּד (ve-Arpad) – Root: ארפד; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and Arpad”; Notes: Another Aramean city, near Aleppo.
5. כִּי־ (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Explains the cause of their shame.
6. שְׁמֻעָה (shemuʿah) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “report, rumor”; Notes: Often refers to news of invasion or disaster.
7. רָעָה (raʿah) – Root: רעע; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “evil, bad”; Notes: Qualifies the “report.”
8. שָׁמְעוּ (shamʿu) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Qal perfect 3cp; Translation: “they have heard”; Notes: Refers to Ḥamat and Arpad.
9. נָמֹגוּ (namogu) – Root: מוג; Form: Qal perfect 3cp; Translation: “they are melted away”; Notes: Idiomatically denotes despair, fear, loss of courage.
10. בַּיָּם (ba-yam) – Root: ים; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the sea”; Notes: Possibly metaphorical of turmoil, or referring to the Mediterranean as a place of upheaval.
11. דְּאָגָה (deʾagah) – Root: דאג; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “anxiety, distress”; Notes: Indicates deep inner fear.
12. הַשְׁקֵט (hashqet) – Root: שׁקט; Form: Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “quietness, calm”; Notes: Here, negated, “quiet is not possible.”
13. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb “be able.”
14. יוּכַל (yukhal) – Root: יכל; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “he/it can”; Notes: Refers to the impossibility of calm in the midst of turmoil.