יָקֹ֨שְׁתִּי לָ֤ךְ וְגַם־נִלְכַּדְתְּ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאַ֖תְּ לֹ֣א יָדָ֑עַתְּ נִמְצֵאת֙ וְגַם־נִתְפַּ֔שְׂתְּ כִּ֥י בַֽיהוָ֖ה הִתְגָּרִֽית׃
I laid a snare for you, and you were also caught, O Bavel, and you did not know. You were found and also seized, because against YHWH you contended.
Morphology
- יָקֹשְׁתִּי (yaqoshti) – Root: יקשׁ; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I laid a snare”; Notes: YHWH is the speaker, setting a trap for Babylon.
- לָךְ (lakh) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2nd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Direct object of the snare, referring to Babylon (feminine).
- וְגַם־נִלְכַּדְתְּ (ve-gam-nilkadet) – Root: לכד; Form: Niphal perfect 2nd feminine singular; Translation: “and you were also caught”; Notes: Passive, describing Babylon’s downfall.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: The subject of God’s judgment.
- וְאַתְּ (ve-att) – Root: אתה; Form: Independent pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Stresses Babylon herself.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: —; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb.
- יָדָעַתְּ (yadaʿt) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 2nd feminine singular; Translation: “you knew”; Notes: Babylon was unaware of God’s snare.
- נִמְצֵאת (nimtseʾt) – Root: מצא; Form: Niphal perfect 2nd feminine singular; Translation: “you were found”; Notes: Passive, discovered in her guilt.
- וְגַם־נִתְפַּשְׂתְּ (ve-gam-nitpasht) – Root: תפשׂ; Form: Niphal perfect 2nd feminine singular; Translation: “and you were also seized”; Notes: Captured as a criminal or enemy.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for Babylon’s downfall.
- בַיהוָה (ba-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition בְּ + divine name; Translation: “against YHWH”; Notes: Babylon’s opposition to YHWH is the cause of her capture.
- הִתְגָּרִית (hitgarit) – Root: גרה; Form: Hitpael perfect 2nd feminine singular; Translation: “you contended”; Notes: Reflexive, “you stirred yourself up to fight against.” Refers to Babylon’s rebellion.