רָפְתָ֥ה דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק הִפְנְתָ֥ה לָנ֖וּס וְרֶ֣טֶט הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה צָרָ֧ה וַחֲבָלִ֛ים אֲחָזַ֖תָּה כַּיֹּולֵדָֽה׃
Dammeseq has become feeble, she has turned to flee, trembling has seized her; anguish and pangs have taken hold of her like a woman giving birth.
Morphology
- רָפְתָה (rafetah) – Root: רפה; Form: Qal perfect 3fs; Translation: “has become feeble”; Notes: Feminine subject refers to Dammeseq.
- דַמֶּשֶׂק (Dammeseq) – Root: דמשׂק; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Dammeseq (Damascus)”; Notes: A chief Aramean city, treated as grammatically feminine.
- הִפְנְתָה (hifnetah) – Root: פנה; Form: Hiphil perfect 3fs; Translation: “she has turned”; Notes: Causative nuance, “turned herself to flee.”
- לָנוּס (lanus) – Root: נוס; Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to flee”; Notes: Indicates purpose of the turning.
- וְרֶטֶט (ve-retet) – Root: רטט; Form: Noun masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and trembling”; Notes: Refers to physical and emotional quaking.
- הֶחֱזִיקָה (heḥezikah) – Root: חזק; Form: Hiphil perfect 3fs; Translation: “has seized”; Notes: Strong causative verb, “take hold, overpower.”
- צָרָה (tsarah) – Root: צרר; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “anguish”; Notes: Refers to distress in calamity.
- וַחֲבָלִים (va-ḥavalim) – Root: חבל; Form: Conjunction + plural noun masculine; Translation: “and pangs”; Notes: Often used for birth-pangs or severe torment.
- אֲחָזַתָּה (aḥazatah) – Root: אחז; Form: Qal perfect 3fs + 3fs suffix; Translation: “have taken hold of her”; Notes: Repetition of seizure imagery, emphasizing helplessness.
- כַּיֹּולֵדָה (ka-yoleidah) – Root: ילד; Form: Preposition כְּ + Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “like a woman giving birth”; Notes: Common prophetic simile for extreme distress and vulnerability.