חֶ֥רֶב עַל־כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בָבֶ֔ל וְאֶל־שָׂרֶ֖יהָ וְאֶל־חֲכָמֶֽיהָ׃
“A sword is against the Kasdim,“ declares YHWH, “and against the inhabitants of Bavel, and against her princes, and against her wise men.
Morphology
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of war and judgment.
- עַל (ʿal) – Root: —; Form: Preposition; Translation: “against/upon”; Notes: Indicates direction of judgment.
- כַּשְׂדִּים (Kasdim) – Root: כשׂד; Form: Proper noun masculine plural; Translation: “Kasdim/Chaldeans”; Notes: Ethnic designation for Babylonians.
- נְאֻם (neʾum) – Root: נאם; Form: Noun construct; Translation: “declaration of”; Notes: Prophetic formula affirming divine authority.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Declares the origin of the prophecy.
- וְאֶל (ve-el) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and against”; Notes: Connects further objects of judgment.
- יֹשְׁבֵי (yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “inhabitants of”; Notes: Refers to the general population of Babylon.
- בָבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Bavel/Babylon”; Notes: The city under divine judgment.
- וְאֶל־שָׂרֶיהָ (ve-el-sareha) – Root: שר; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and against her princes”; Notes: Political leaders of Babylon.
- וְאֶל־חֲכָמֶיהָ (ve-el-ḥakameha) – Root: חכם; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and against her wise men”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s counselors, magi, or sages.