כִּי֩ בָ֨א עָלֶ֤יהָ עַל־בָּבֶל֙ שֹׁודֵ֔ד וְנִלְכְּדוּ֙ גִּבֹּורֶ֔יהָ חִתְּתָ֖ה קַשְּׁתֹותָ֑ם כִּ֣י אֵ֧ל גְּמֻלֹ֛ות יְהוָ֖ה שַׁלֵּ֥ם יְשַׁלֵּֽם׃
For a destroyer has come upon her, upon Bavel, and her warriors have been captured; their bows are broken, for YHWH is a God of recompenses; He shall surely repay.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for / because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for judgment.
- בָא (ba) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Refers to the arrival of the invader.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “upon her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon as the target.
- עַל־בָּבֶל (ʿal-Bavel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition + place name feminine singular; Translation: “upon Bavel”; Notes: Emphasizes Babylon as the object of invasion.
- שֹׁודֵד (shoded) – Root: שׁדד (shadad); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “a destroyer”; Notes: Refers to the invading force sent against Babylon.
- וְנִלְכְּדוּ (ve-nilkedu) – Root: לכד (lakhad); Form: Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and they have been captured”; Notes: Describes the defeat of Babylon’s warriors.
- גִּבּוֹרֶיהָ (gibboreha) – Root: גּבר (gavar); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “her warriors”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s mighty men.
- חִתְּתָה (ḥittetah) – Root: חתת (ḥatat); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “are broken / shattered”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to the collapse of military strength.
- קַשְּׁתוֹתָם (qashshtotam) – Root: קשׁת (qeshet); Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their bows”; Notes: Represents their weapons of war.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for / because”; Notes: Introduces the theological explanation.
- אֵל (ʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to the divine identity of YHWH.
- גְּמֻלוֹת (gemulot) – Root: גמל (gamal); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “recompenses”; Notes: Expresses divine retribution, repayment for deeds.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant God who judges with justice.
- שַׁלֵּם (shallem) – Root: שלם (shalem); Form: Piel infinitive absolute; Translation: “surely repay”; Notes: Emphatic construction paired with finite verb to stress certainty.
- יְשַׁלֵּם (yeshallem) – Root: שלם (shalem); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He shall repay”; Notes: Completes the emphatic idiom: “surely He will repay.”