וַתִּרְעַ֥שׁ הָאָ֖רֶץ וַתָּחֹ֑ל כִּ֣י קָ֤מָה עַל־בָּבֶל֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ות יְהוָ֔ה לָשׂ֞וּם אֶת־אֶ֧רֶץ בָּבֶ֛ל לְשַׁמָּ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין יֹושֵֽׁב׃
And the earth shook and trembled, for the thoughts of YHWH rose up against Bavel, to make the land of Bavel a desolation without inhabitant.
Morphology
- וַתִּרְעַשׁ (va-tirʿash) – Root: רעשׁ (raʿash); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it shook”; Notes: Refers to the earth trembling violently.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Subject of the verb “shook.”
- וַתָּחֹל (va-taḥol) – Root: חול (ḥul); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it trembled / writhed”; Notes: Often used of shaking, trembling, or writhing in fear.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for / because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the trembling.
- קָמָה (qamah) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “rose up / stood up”; Notes: Refers to the arising of YHWH’s plans.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “against”; Notes: Marks Bavel as the object of divine intent.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Babylon, the target of YHWH’s judgment.
- מַחְשְׁבוֹת (maḥshevot) – Root: חשב (ḥashav); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “plans / thoughts”; Notes: Refers to deliberate purposes of YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of Israel’s God.
- לָשׂוּם (la-sum) – Root: שׂים (sim); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to set / to make”; Notes: Expresses purpose of YHWH’s plans.
- אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [untranslatable marker]; Notes: Marks the object “the land of Bavel.”
- אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular absolute; Translation: “land”; Notes: Refers to the territory of Bavel.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Place name feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: The land subject to destruction.
- לְשַׁמָּה (le-shammah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “for desolation”; Notes: Indicates the intended outcome of YHWH’s judgment.
- מֵאֵין (me-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾayin); Form: Preposition + particle of nonexistence; Translation: “without”; Notes: Expresses absence of inhabitants.
- יֹושֵׁב (yoshev) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “inhabitant / one dwelling”; Notes: Refers to the total depopulation of Bavel.