דַּבֵּ֗ר כֹּ֚ה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽפְלָה֙ נִבְלַ֣ת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כְּדֹ֖מֶן עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּכְעָמִ֛יר מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הַקֹּצֵ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין מְאַסֵּֽף׃
(Jeremiah 9:22)
Speak, thus says YHWH: “The corpse of man shall fall like dung upon the open field, and like sheaves after the reaper, with none to gather them.”
Jeremiah 9:22 presents a solemn oracle of devastation. It combines imperative speech, prophetic formulae, and similes of agricultural and ritual imagery. The Hebrew grammar of the verse is tightly packed, mirroring the inevitability and horror of divine judgment. By exploring the imperative command to “speak,” the formula “thus says YHWH,” the Nifal verb forms, and the agricultural imagery, we see how syntax and morphology intensify the prophetic announcement.
The Imperative Opening: דַּבֵּר כֹּה נְאֻם־יְהוָה
The verse begins: דַּבֵּר כֹּה נְאֻם־יְהוָה — “Speak, thus says YHWH.”
- דַּבֵּר: Piel imperative 2ms of דבר, “speak.” The intensive stem heightens urgency.
- כֹּה: adverb, “thus.” It introduces the prophetic formula.
- נְאֻם־יְהוָה: “oracle of YHWH.” A solemn prophetic declaration formula.
The use of the imperative underscores the prophet’s role as divine spokesperson. Syntax gives Jeremiah no choice: his utterance is commanded speech, carrying YHWH’s weight.
The Fallen Corpse: וְנָפְלָה נִבְלַת הָאָדָם
Next we encounter: וְנָפְלָה נִבְלַת הָאָדָם — “and the corpse of man shall fall.”
- וְנָפְלָה: Qal perfect with waw-consecutive (converted form), 3fs of נפל, “and it shall fall.” The feminine subject is נִבְלָה (“corpse”).
- נִבְלַת הָאָדָם: construct phrase, “the corpse of man.”
The grammar emphasizes inevitability: human corpses will “fall” without resistance, subject to divine decree. The feminine agreement between verb and subject highlights the grammatical precision of the oracle.
Similes of Pollution and Agriculture
The imagery intensifies with two similes:
- כְּדֹמֶן עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה — “like dung upon the surface of the field.” Here, corpses are compared to refuse, an image of defilement and humiliation.
- וּכְעָמִיר מֵאַחֲרֵי הַקֹּצֵר — “and like sheaves after the reaper.” Abandoned sheaves symbolize desolation and neglect.
Hebrew grammar intensifies imagery with comparative כְּ (“like”), a frequent poetic device. The similes juxtapose ritual impurity (dung) with agricultural waste (abandoned sheaves). Both convey utter disregard for human life.
The Absence of Gathering: וְאֵין מְאַסֵּף
The verse ends: וְאֵין מְאַסֵּף — “and none to gather.”
- אֵין: existential negation, “there is none.”
- מְאַסֵּף: Piel participle ms of אסף, “gatherer.”
The final clause uses verbless construction. It is not a process but a state: no one is present to perform the duty of burial. This absence compounds the humiliation and highlights covenant curse imagery, where the unburied dead signify abandonment by both community and God.
Parsing Table of Key Forms
| Form | Parsing | Literal Sense | Grammatical Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| דַּבֵּר | Piel imperative 2ms of דבר | “Speak” | Prophetic command; introduces divine oracle |
| וְנָפְלָה | Qal wayyiqtol 3fs of נפל | “and it shall fall” | Feminine subject נִבְלָה governs verb agreement |
| נִבְלַת הָאָדָם | Construct phrase | “corpse of man” | Highlights defilement, ultimate dishonor |
| מְאַסֵּף | Piel participle ms of אסף | “gatherer” | Absence signals abandonment and curse |
Masoretic Rhythm and Poetic Cadence
The verse divides into three cola: (1) command and formula (דַּבֵּר כֹּה נְאֻם־יְהוָה), (2) image of corpses falling, (3) similes and absence of gathering. The rhythm drives from command to consequence to despair, shaping the emotional force of the oracle.
Grammar of Abandonment
Jeremiah 9:22 fuses prophetic command, Nifal inevitability, and participial absence. Grammar itself conveys abandonment: the imperative forces speech, the Nifal form ensures inevitability, the participial clause declares the state of forsakenness. The verse’s stark parallelism between dung and corpses turns Hebrew syntax into prophetic lamentation. It is a reminder that in Biblical Hebrew, grammar does not merely describe reality; it embodies judgment itself.