יְלַחֲכ֤וּ עָפָר֙ כַּנָּחָ֔שׁ כְּזֹחֲלֵ֣י אֶ֔רֶץ יִרְגְּז֖וּ מִמִּסְגְּרֹֽתֵיהֶ֑ם אֶל־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ֙ יִפְחָ֔דוּ וְיִֽרְא֖וּ מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
They will lick dust like the serpent, like crawling things of the earth; they will tremble from their enclosures; to YHWH our God they will fear, and they will be afraid of You.
Morphology
- יְלַחֲכ֤וּ (yelakhakhu) — Root: לחך (l-ḥ-kh); Form: Piel imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they will lick”; Notes: Piel expresses intensive action, portraying humiliation.
- עָפָר֙ (ʿafar) — Root: עפר (ʿ-f-r); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “dust”; Notes: Symbol of total defeat and lowliness.
- כַּנָּחָ֔שׁ (ka-nnaḥash) — Root: נחשׁ (n-ḥ-sh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like the serpent”; Notes: Serpent imagery reinforces humiliation.
- כְּזֹחֲלֵ֣י (ke-zokhalei) — Root: זחל (z-ḥ-l); Form: Preposition כְּ + Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “like crawling ones of”; Notes: Evokes lowly creatures.
- אֶ֔רֶץ (ʾerets) — Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Completes the construct chain.
- יִרְגְּז֖וּ (yirgzeu) — Root: רגז (r-g-z); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they will tremble”; Notes: Denotes fear and agitation.
- מִמִּסְגְּרֹֽתֵיהֶ֑ם (mi-misgeroteihem) — Root: סגר (s-g-r); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine plural + suffix 3mp; Translation: “from their enclosures”; Notes: Places of confinement or strongholds.
- אֶל־יְהוָ֤ה (el-YHWH) — Root: אל; Form: Preposition אֶל + divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Direction of fear and submission.
- אֱלֹהֵ֨ינוּ֙ (eloheinu) — Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 1cp; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Confessional declaration by Yisraʾel.
- יִפְחָ֔דוּ (yifḥadu) — Root: פחד (p-ḥ-d); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they will fear”; Notes: Indicates reverential terror.
- וְיִֽרְא֖וּ (ve-yirʾu) — Root: ירא (y-r-ʾ); Form: Conjunction ו + Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “and they will be afraid”; Notes: Parallel verb strengthening the fear imagery.
- מִמֶּֽךָּ (mimmekka) — Root: מן (m-n); Form: Preposition מִן + suffix 2ms; Translation: “from You”; Notes: YHWH is the source of their dread.