| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the imperative heylilu {הֵילִילוּ | hêylilû} ‘wail,’ a Piel stem intensifying the communal lament. The conjunction ki {כִּי | kî} ‘for’ introduces the reason clause stating that the day of the LORD is near. The prepositional simile keshod {כְּשֹׁד | kě-šôḏ} ‘as devastation’ intensifies the portrayal of sudden ruin, while mishaddai {מִשַׁדַּי | mišād-dāy} ‘from Shaddai’ designates the divine source. The Qal imperfect yavo {יָבוֹא | yā-vō} ‘will come’ conveys inevitability. English word order preserves the Hebrew’s climactic syntax by placing the lamenting command first and retaining the simile before specifying divine agency. |