| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the causal connector al-ken {עַל־כֵּן | ʿal-ken} ‘therefore’, linking this oracle’s lament to previous announcements. The verb mālēʾû {מָלְאוּ | mālēʾû} takes the object māṯənāy {מָתְנַי | māṯənāy} ‘my loins’, followed by ḥalḥālāh {חַלְחָלָה | ḥalḥālāh} ‘trembling’, specifying the physical seat of anguish. The perfect ’ăḥāzûnî {אֲחָזוּנִי | ’ăḥāzûnî} ‘they have seized me’ is expanded by the simile kə-ṣîrêy yôlêḏāh {כְּצִירֵי יֽוֹלֵדָה | kə-ṣîrêy yôlêḏāh} ‘like the pangs of a woman in labor’. The reflexive experiences na‛ăwîṯî {נַעֲוֵ֣יתִי | na‛ăwîṯî} ‘I was bent’ and nivhallîtî {נִבְהַלְתִּי | nivhallîtî} ‘I was terrified’ each govern infinitive constructs mishmōaʿ {מִשְּׁמֹעַ | mišmōaʿ} ‘from hearing’ and mere’ōṯ {מֵרְאֽוֹת | mere’ōṯ} ‘from seeing’, forming a paratactic sequence that intensifies the prophet’s physical and emotional collapse. |