הָרִ֨יעוּ עָלֶ֤יהָ סָבִיב֙ נָתְנָ֣ה יָדָ֔הּ נָֽפְלוּ֙ אֲשׁוּיֹתֶיהָ נֶהֶרְס֖וּ חֹומֹותֶ֑יהָ כִּי֩ נִקְמַ֨ת יְהוָ֥ה הִיא֙ הִנָּ֣קְמוּ בָ֔הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשְׂתָ֖ה עֲשׂוּ־לָֽהּ׃
Raise a shout against her all around! She has given her hand, her supports have fallen, her walls are torn down. For it is the vengeance of YHWH. Take vengeance on her; as she has done, so do to her.
Morphology
- הָרִיעוּ (hariʿu) – Root: רוע; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “Raise a shout!”; Notes: Military cry of attack or triumph.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon personified as feminine.
- סָבִיב (saviv) – Root: סבב; Form: Adverb; Translation: “all around”; Notes: Refers to complete surrounding of the city.
- נָתְנָה (natnah) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she has given”; Notes: Likely idiom for “she has surrendered.”
- יָדָהּ (yadah) – Root: יד; Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her hand”; Notes: Expression of yielding or surrender.
- נָפְלוּ (naflu) – Root: נפל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd common plural; Translation: “have fallen”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s structures or strongholds.
- אֲשׁוּיֹתֶיהָ (ʾashuyoteha) – Root: אשׁי/אשׁה (uncertain); Form: Noun feminine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her supports/foundations”; Notes: Probably structural elements of fortification.
- נֶהֶרְסוּ (neheresu) – Root: הרס; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd common plural; Translation: “are torn down”; Notes: Passive form, describing collapse of walls.
- חֹומֹותֶיהָ (ḥomoteha) – Root: חומה; Form: Noun feminine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her walls”; Notes: Refers to city fortifications of Babylon.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for/because”; Notes: Introduces the rationale.
- נִקְמַת (niqmat) – Root: נקם; Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “vengeance of”; Notes: Introduces divine retribution.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the vengeance.
- הִיא (hi) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “it is”; Notes: Emphatic identification: “it is the vengeance of YHWH.”
- הִנָּקְמוּ (hinnakmu) – Root: נקם; Form: Niphal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “Take vengeance!”; Notes: Command to execute divine justice.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: ב; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “on her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon.
- כַּאֲשֶׁר (kaʾasher) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as/just as”; Notes: Introduces comparative clause.
- עָשְׂתָה (ʿaseta) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she has done”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s actions.
- עֲשׂוּ (ʿasu) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “do!”; Notes: Command to reciprocate.
- לָהּ (lah) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Babylon is the recipient of the retaliatory act.