Nahum 2:11 (Nahum 2:10)

בּוּקָ֥ה וּמְבוּקָ֖ה וּמְבֻלָּקָ֑ה וְלֵ֨ב נָמֵ֜ס וּפִ֣ק בִּרְכַּ֗יִם וְחַלְחָלָה֙ בְּכָל־מָתְנַ֔יִם וּפְנֵ֥י כֻלָּ֖ם קִבְּצ֥וּ פָארֽוּר׃

Desolation and emptiness and waste, and the heart melts, and trembling is in the knees, and shaking is in all loins, and the faces of all of them gather blackness.

Morphology

1. בּוּקָה (buka) — Root: בוק (buk); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: First term in a dramatic triple description of devastation.
2. וּ (u) — Root: ו (vav); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links each element in the threefold ruin.
3. מְבוּקָה (mevuka) — Root: בוק (buk); Form: Pual participle feminine singular; Translation: “emptiness”; Notes: Intensifies the image of utter vacuity.
4. וּ (u) — Root: ו; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the triplet.
5. מְבֻלָּקָה (mevullaqa) — Root: בלק (balaq); Form: Pual participle feminine singular; Translation: “waste / devastation”; Notes: Rare form conveying total ruin.
6. וְ (ve) — Root: ו; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Turns from the landscape to human reaction.
7. לֵב (lev) — Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “heart”; Notes: Symbol of courage and vitality.
8. נָמֵס (names) — Root: מוס (mus); Form: Niphal perfect 3ms; Translation: “melts”; Notes: Expression of emotional collapse.
9. וּ (u) — Root: ו; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces another physical response to terror.
10. פִק (piq) — Root: פוק (poq); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “trembling / tottering”; Notes: Indicates collapse of stability.
11. בִּרְכַּיִם (birkaim) — Root: ברך (berekh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine dual; Translation: “in the knees”; Notes: Knees shaking is a classic sign of fear.
12. וְ (ve) — Root: ו; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Adds another bodily manifestation of terror.
13. חַלְחָלָה (ḥalḥala) — Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “shaking / trembling”; Notes: Often used for deep physical distress.
14. בְּכָל (be-khol) — Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in all”; Notes: Total bodily involvement.
15. מָתְנַיִם (motnayim) — Root: מתן (matan); Form: Noun masculine dual; Translation: “loins”; Notes: Seat of inner strength—now failing.
16. וּ (u) — Root: ו; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces final vivid detail.
17. פְנֵי (fenei) — Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “faces of”; Notes: Introduces a construct chain.
18. כֻלָּם (kullam) — Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3mp; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Universal reaction among the people.
19. קִבְּצוּ (kibbetsu) — Root: קבץ (kavats); Form: Piel perfect 3cp; Translation: “have gathered”; Notes: Often used of gathering color to the face.
20. פָארוּר (faʾrur) — Root: פָאר (paʾar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “blackness / pallor”; Notes: Refers to discoloration of the face from terror.