הָעִ֣זוּ בְּנֵ֣י בִניָמִ֗ן מִקֶּ֨רֶב֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וּבִתְקֹ֨ועַ֙ תִּקְע֣וּ שֹׁופָ֔ר וְעַל־בֵּ֥ית הַכֶּ֖רֶם שְׂא֣וּ מַשְׂאֵ֑ת כִּ֥י רָעָ֛ה נִשְׁקְפָ֥ה מִצָּפֹ֖ון וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹֽול׃
Flee, sons of Binyamin, from the midst of Yerushalayim, and in Teqoaʿ blow a shofar, and over Beit-hakkerem lift up a signal, for evil looks down from the north and great destruction.
Morphology
- הָעִ֣זוּ (haʿizu) – Root: עזז; Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Flee”; Notes: A causative verb commanding escape or departure, addressed to a group.
- בְּנֵ֣י (benei) – Root: בן; Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Part of a construct chain indicating descent or relationship.
- בִניָמִ֗ן (Binyamin) – Root: בנימין; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Binyamin”; Notes: Tribal designation; addressed to members of the tribe of Binyamin.
- מִקֶּ֨רֶב (miqqerev) – Root: קרב; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the midst of”; Notes: Indicates the source or point of departure.
- יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלם; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: The capital city, location to flee from.
- וּבִתְקֹ֨ועַ (u-viTeqoaʿ) – Root: תקע; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “and in Teqoaʿ”; Notes: City in Yehudah, to be a place of sounding the alarm.
- תִּקְע֣וּ (tiqʿu) – Root: תקע; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “blow”; Notes: Command-like imperfect verb referring to the act of blowing a trumpet (shofar).
- שֹׁופָ֔ר (shofar) – Root: שופר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shofar”; Notes: Ram’s horn used to sound an alarm.
- וְעַל־בֵּ֥ית (ve-ʿal-Beit) – Root: בית; Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַל + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “and over the house of”; Notes: Part of construct phrase pointing to location for signal.
- הַכֶּ֖רֶם (ha-kerem) – Root: כרם; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the vineyard”; Notes: Refers to Beit-haKerem, a place name meaning “house of the vineyard.”
- שְׂא֣וּ (seʾu) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “lift up”; Notes: Command to raise a signal for warning or attention.
- מַשְׂאֵ֑ת (masaʾet) – Root: נשא; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “signal” or “banner”; Notes: From the root “to lift,” indicating something raised as a warning.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason or explanation.
- רָעָ֛ה (raʿah) – Root: רעע; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: General term for danger or calamity.
- נִשְׁקְפָ֥ה (nishqefah) – Root: שקף; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “looks down” or “is looming”; Notes: Passive/reflexive form indicating approaching or imminent visibility.
- מִצָּפֹ֖ון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון; Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: Geographical origin of the danger.
- וְשֶׁ֥בֶר (ve-shever) – Root: שבר; Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and destruction”; Notes: Parallel to “evil,” emphasizing catastrophic collapse.
- גָּדֹֽול (gadol) – Root: גדל; Form: Adjective masculine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Modifies “destruction,” intensifying its severity.