חֶ֜רֶב אֶל־סוּסָ֣יו וְאֶל־רִכְבֹּ֗ו וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעֶ֛רֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּתֹוכָ֖הּ וְהָי֣וּ לְנָשִׁ֑ים חֶ֥רֶב אֶל־אֹוצְרֹתֶ֖יהָ וּבֻזָּֽזוּ׃
A sword is against his horses, and against his chariots, and against all the mixed people who are in her midst; and they shall become as women. A sword is against her treasures, and they shall be plundered.
Morphology
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of destruction and divine judgment.
- אֶל־סוּסָיו (el-susav) – Root: סוס; Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine plural + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against his horses”; Notes: Military strength of Babylon.
- וְאֶל־רִכְבּוֹ (ve-el-rikhbo) – Root: רכב; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and against his chariots”; Notes: Another symbol of military might.
- וְאֶל־כָּל־הָעֶרֶב (ve-el-kol-ha-ʿerev) – Root: ערב; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “and against all the mixed people”; Notes: Refers to foreign mercenaries or mixed populations allied with Babylon.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who/that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- בְּתוֹכָהּ (be-tokhah) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in her midst”; Notes: Refers to Babylon itself.
- וְהָיוּ (ve-hayu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall be”; Notes: Signals transformation of their state.
- לְנָשִׁים (le-nashim) – Root: אשה; Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “as women”; Notes: Metaphor for weakness or vulnerability.
- חֶרֶב (ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Noun feminine singular absolute (repeated); Translation: “a sword”; Notes: Repetition intensifies the threat.
- אֶל־אֹוצְרֹתֶיהָ (el-ʾotzroteha) – Root: אצר; Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine plural + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against her treasures”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s wealth and stored goods.
- וּבֻזָּזוּ (u-vuzzazu) – Root: בזז; Form: Pual perfect 3rd masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall be plundered”; Notes: Passive form highlights inevitability of Babylon’s despoiling.