Zephaniah 1:15

יֹ֥ום עֶבְרָ֖ה הַיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא יֹ֧ום צָרָ֣ה וּמְצוּקָ֗ה יֹ֤ום שֹׁאָה֙ וּמְשֹׁואָ֔ה יֹ֥ום חֹ֨שֶׁךְ֙ וַאֲפֵלָ֔ה יֹ֥ום עָנָ֖ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃

A day of wrath that day, a day of distress and constriction, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and thick-darkness.

Morphology

1. יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Introduces the descriptions of the Day of YHWH.
2. עֶבְרָה (‘evrah) – Root: עבר (‘avar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “wrath”; Notes: Refers to divine fury.
3. הַיֹּום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the day”; Notes: Specifies the climactic day.
4. הַהוּא (ha-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Definite demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Points emphatically to the eschatological day.
5. יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Repetition reinforces poetic intensity.
6. צָרָה (tsarah) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “distress”; Notes: Suggests severe trouble.
7. וּמְצוּקָה (u-metsuqah) – Root: צוק (tsuq); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and constriction”; Notes: Indicates pressure or oppression.
8. יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Continues the pattern of piled descriptions.
9. שֹׁאָה (sho’ah) – Root: שׁאה (sha’ah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “devastation”; Notes: Often used for ruinous calamity.
10. וּמְשֹׁואָה (u-mesho’ah) – Root: שׁאה (sha’ah); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and desolation”; Notes: Intensifies the destructive imagery.
11. יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Another poetic repetition.
12. חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥoshekh) – Root: חשׁך (ḥashakh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “darkness”; Notes: Standard biblical symbol of judgment.
13. וַאֲפֵלָה (va-afelah) – Root: אפל (afel); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and gloom”; Notes: Refers to deep, impenetrable darkness.
14. יֹום (yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “day”; Notes: Final repetition in the poetic list.
15. עָנָן (‘anan) – Root: ענן (‘anan); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “cloud”; Notes: Often accompanies divine manifestation.
16. וַעֲרָפֶל (va-‘arafel) – Root: ערפל (‘araphel); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and thick-darkness”; Notes: Describes dense, obscuring gloom.