כִּפָּ֥ה

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 כִּפָּ֥ה

   kip-PA

   palm-branch
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 כִּפָּ֥ה וְאַגְמֽוֹן׃

   kip-PA ve-ag-MON

   palm-branch and reed
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.