הִרְבֵּית֙ רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְ מִכֹּוכְבֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם יֶ֥לֶק פָּשַׁ֖ט וַיָּעֹֽף׃
You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the heavens. The locust strips and flies away.
Morphology
- הִרְבֵּית (hirbeit) — Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Hiphil perfect 2fs; Translation: “you have multiplied”; Notes: Addressed to Nineweh as a feminine entity.
- רֹכְלַיִךְ (rokhlayikh) — Root: רכל (rakhal); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2fs; Translation: “your merchants”; Notes: Roving traders central to Nineveh’s wealth.
- מִ (mi) — Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition מִן; Translation: “more than”; Notes: Comparative usage.
- כֹּוכְבֵי (kokhvei) — Root: כוכב (kokhav); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the stars of”; Notes: Construct chain preparation.
- הַשָּׁמָיִם (ha-shamayim) — Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Hyperbolic comparison of vast numbers.
- יֶלֶק (yelek) — Root: ילק (yaleq); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “locust”; Notes: A species known for sudden stripping of vegetation.
- פָּשַׁט (pashat) — Root: פשט (pashat); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “stripped”; Notes: Describes sudden plundering.
- וַיָּעֹף (va-yaʿof) — Root: עוף (ʿuf); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3ms; Translation: “and flew away”; Notes: Locust imagery highlights rapid disappearance of wealth.