Skip to content
RBT Hebrew Interlinear:
ואת וְאֶת־
and אֵת-self eternal
| |
Conjunction, Direct object eternal self
הצפוני הַצְּפוֹנִ֞י
the Northern/Stored Up One
|
Particle definite article, Adjective adjective both singular absolute
ארחיק אַרְחִיק
I am distancing far
Verb Hiphil imperfect first person common singular
מעליכם מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם
from upon yourselves
| |
Prep-M, Preposition Suffix pronominal second person masculine plural
והדחתיו וְהִדַּחְתִּיו
and I am forcing him
| |
conjunctive, Verb Hiphil sequential perfect first person common singular, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular
אל אֶל־
toward
|
Preposition
ארץ אֶרֶץ
an earth
Noun common both singular construct
ציה צִיָּה
a parched land
Noun common feminine singular absolute
ושממה וּשְׁמָמָה֒
a desolation
|
Conjunction, Noun common feminine singular absolute
את אֶת־
את-self eternal
|
Direct object eternal self
פניו פָּנָ֗יו
faces of himself
|
Noun common masculine plural construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular
אל אֶל־
toward
|
Preposition
הים הַיָּם
the Sea
|
Particle definite article, Noun common both singular absolute
הקדמני הַקַּדְמֹנִי
the Frontward One
|
Particle definite article, Adjective adjective both singular absolute
וספו וְסֹפוֹ
and a termination
| |
Conjunction, Noun common both singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular
אל אֶל־
toward
|
Preposition
הים הַיָּם
the Sea
|
Particle definite article, Noun common both singular absolute
האחרון הָאַחֲרוֹן
the Hinder One
|
Particle definite article, Adjective adjective both singular absolute
ועלה וְעָלָה
and he climbed up
|
conjunctive, Verb Qal sequential perfect third person masculine singular
באשו בָאְשׁ֗וֹ
cistern-stench
|
Noun common both singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular
ותעל וְתַעַל
and you/she is climbing up
|
Conjunction, Verb Qal third person feminine singular
צחנתו צַחֲנָתוֹ
putrid smell
|
Noun common feminine singular construct, Suffix pronominal third person masculine singular
כי כִּי
for
Particle
הגדיל הִגְדּיל
he has greatly magnified
Verb Hiphil perfect third person masculine singular
לעשות לַעֲשׂוֹת׃
to make
| |
Preposition, Verb Qal infinitive construct common
RBT Translation:
and אֵת-self eternal the Northern/Stored Up One I am distancing far from upon yourselves and I am forcing him toward an earth a parched land a desolation את-self eternal faces of himself toward the Sea the Frontward One and a termination toward the Sea the Hinder One and he climbed up cistern-stench and you/she is climbing up putrid smell for he has greatly magnified to make
RBT Paraphrase:
A Sea Serpent
And the self eternal Stored Up One4 I am distancing far from upon yourselves, and I am forcing him toward an earth of dryness and desolation, the self eternal faces of himself toward the Sea, the Frontward One, and the termination of himself toward the Sea, the Hinder One, and he climbed up, a cistern-stench, and she is climbing up, a putrid smell, for he has greatly magnified to make.
tail | head
Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And the northern I will remove far off from you, and I thrust him into a land of dryness and desolation, with his face to the east sea, and his end to the last sea; and his stink came up, and his stench shall come up, for he magnified to do.
LITV Translation:
But I will remove the northern army far from you, and I will drive him into a dry and desolated land with his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the western sea. And his stench shall come up, and his ill odor shall come up, because he was doing great things.
Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And I will chase away from you the northern adversary, and will drive him away into a dry land, and I will sink his face in the former sea, and his back parts in the latter sea, and his ill savor shall come up, and his stink shall come up, because he has wrought great things.

Footnotes

Joe. 2:20
Joe. 2:20

The term הצפוני (ha-tsefoní) derives from the root צפן (tsāfan), “to hide, store, treasure.” In adjectival form it denotes “the hidden/stored one,” and can be rendered “the treasured up one.” Context determines the nuance: it may signify one preserved for blessing or, ironically, kept in reserve for judgment. Past interpreters, by association with צפוֹן (“north”) which is also derived from the same root, translate “the northerner.”