עִרְכ֨וּ עַל־בָּבֶ֤ל סָבִיב֙ כָּל־דֹּ֣רְכֵי קֶ֔שֶׁת יְד֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַֽל־תַּחְמְל֖וּ אֶל־חֵ֑ץ כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָֽאָה׃
Set yourselves in array against Bavel all around, all who bend the bow; shoot at her, do not spare the arrow, for against YHWH she has sinned.
Morphology
- עִרְכוּ (ʿirkhu) – Root: ערך; Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Set in array!”; Notes: Military term, ordering battle formation.
- עַל־בָּבֶל (ʿal-Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Bavel”; Notes: Target of the attack.
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Adverb; Translation: “all around”; Notes: Describes complete encirclement.
- כָּל־דֹּרְכֵי (kol-dorkhei) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun “all” in construct + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “all who bend”; Notes: Refers specifically to archers.
- קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) – Root: קשת; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “bow”; Notes: The weapon of archers.
- יְדוּ (yedu) – Root: ירה; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural (short form); Translation: “Shoot!”; Notes: Command to release arrows.
- אֵלֶיהָ (ʾeleha) – Root: —; Form: Preposition אֶל + third feminine singular suffix; Translation: “at her”; Notes: Directs the attack toward Babylon.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used for prohibitions.
- תַּחְמְלוּ (taḥmelu) – Root: חמל; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd masculine plural (jussive); Translation: “spare”; Notes: Here in negative command: “do not spare.”
- אֶל־חֵץ (el-ḥetz) – Root: חץ; Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the arrow”; Notes: Refers to not withholding or sparing arrows in the attack.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for/because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the attack.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition לְ + divine name; Translation: “against YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the true offense of Babylon.
- חָטָאָה (ḥataʾah) – Root: חטא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she has sinned”; Notes: Refers to Babylon as feminine, guilty of sin against YHWH.