פִּתְאֹ֛ם נָפְלָ֥ה בָבֶ֖ל וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֑ר הֵילִ֣ילוּ עָלֶ֗יהָ קְח֤וּ צֳרִי֙ לְמַכְאֹובָ֔הּ אוּלַ֖י תֵּרָפֵֽא׃
Suddenly Bavel has fallen and is broken; wail over her. Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.
Morphology
- פִּתְאֹם (pitʾom) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “suddenly”; Notes: Stresses unexpectedness of Babylon’s downfall.
- נָפְלָה (naflah) – Root: נפל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “has fallen”; Notes: Feminine form refers to Babylon.
- בָבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל; Form: Proper noun feminine singular; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Subject of the prophecy.
- וַתִּשָּׁבֵר (va-tishshaver) – Root: שׁבר; Form: Niphal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “and is broken”; Notes: Passive voice, Babylon is shattered by divine judgment.
- הֵילִילוּ (heililu) – Root: ילל; Form: Hifil imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “wail”; Notes: Call to lament over Babylon’s fall.
- עָלֶיהָ (ʿaleha) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “over her”; Notes: Refers to Babylon as the object of lament.
- קְחוּ (qekhu) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine plural; Translation: “take”; Notes: Command to apply healing measures.
- צֳרִי (tzori) – Root: צרי; Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “balm”; Notes: Healing resin or gum, symbol of attempted remedy.
- לְמַכְאֹובָהּ (le-makʾovah) – Root: כאב; Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular with 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “for her pain”; Notes: Refers to Babylon’s affliction.
- אוּלַי (ulai) – Root: —; Form: Particle; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Expresses possibility or faint hope.
- תֵּרָפֵא (terafeʾ) – Root: רפא; Form: Niphal imperfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “she may be healed”; Notes: Suggests ironic futility of Babylon’s healing.