וְזָנָ֖ב

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְזָנָ֖ב

   ve-za-NAV

   and tail
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 רֹ֥אשׁ וְזָנָ֖ב

   ROSH ve-za-NAV

   head and tail
3. clause🔊 אֲשֶׁ֧ר יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה רֹ֥אשׁ וְזָנָ֖ב כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃

   a-SHER ya-a-SE ROSH ve-za-NAV kip-PA ve-ag-MON

   which he will do head and tail palm-branch and reed
4. sentence🔊 וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה לְמִצְרַ֖יִם מַֽעֲשֶׂ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר יַעֲשֶׂ֛ה רֹ֥אשׁ וְזָנָ֖ב כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃

   ve-LO-yi-he-YE le-mits-RA-yim ma-a-SE a-SHER ya-a-SE ROSH ve-za-NAV kip-PA ve-ag-MON

   and not will there be for Egypt a deed which he will do head and tail palm-branch and reed

Exegesis

The merism rosh ve-zanav {רֹאשׁ וְזָנָב | rō-’š wə-zā-nav} paired with kipah ve-agmon {כִּפָּה וְאַגְמוֹן | ki-ppāh wə-’ag-mōn} uses antonymic pairs to denote totality from highest to lowest, emphasizing complete inability. The relative clause construction and the imperfect form underscore ongoing consequence typical of prophetic pronouncements.

Root and etymology

“tail, lowest part”

• 🔊 זָנָבzanavtailDeuteronomy 28:13