Jeremiah 50:8

נֻ֚דוּ מִתֹּ֣וךְ בָּבֶ֔ל וּמֵאֶ֥רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים יֵצְאוּ וִהְי֕וּ כְּעַתּוּדִ֖ים לִפְנֵי־צֹֽאן׃

Flee from the midst of Bavel, and from the land of the Kaśdim go out, and be as male goats before the flock.

Morphology

1. נֻדוּ (nudu) – Root: נדד; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “Flee!”; Notes: Command urging immediate departure.
2. מִתּוֹךְ (mitokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “from the midst of”; Notes: Indicates separation from within.
3. בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun, feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Babylon, the target of prophetic judgment.
4. וּמֵאֶרֶץ (u-meʾerets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Conjunction + preposition מִן + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and from the land of”; Notes: Parallel expression reinforcing command to depart.
5. כַּשְׂדִּים (Kaśdim) – Root: כשד; Form: Proper gentilic, masculine plural; Translation: “Kaśdim/Chaldeans”; Notes: Denotes inhabitants of Babylon’s empire.
6. יֵצְאוּ (yetzeʾu) – Root: יצא; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine plural (jussive in force); Translation: “go out!”; Notes: A second command, reinforcing the exodus motif.
7. וִהְיוּ (vihyu) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural (jussive form with vav); Translation: “and be!”; Notes: Exhortation to adopt a certain role or posture.
8. כְּעַתּוּדִים (ke-ʿatudim) – Root: עתד; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “as male goats”; Notes: Leaders of the flock, imagery of guiding others in departure.
9. לִפְנֵי (lifnei) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “before/in front of”; Notes: Denotes leadership position.
10. צֹאן (tsoʾn) – Root: צאן; Form: Collective noun, feminine; Translation: “flock”; Notes: Represents the people who follow after the leaders symbolized by the male goats.