נלה H5239
when you finish, when you complete (disputed text, probably error for 'when you finish')
Isaiah 33:1 contains a textual puzzle: the consonantal text seems to read 'when you destroy' (from a rare root), but most scholars follow the ancient scribal suggestion to read 'when you finish destroying' (from the common root kalah). The verse announces judgment on Assyria—when they finish plundering, they themselves will be plundered. The wordplay and reversal are typical of Isaiah: the destroyer becomes the destroyed, the betrayer becomes the betrayed. The textual uncertainty hasn't obscured the message: tyranny contains the seeds of its own downfall.
Senses
1. sense 1 — This hapax in Isaiah 33:1 is likely a scribal error or rare form. BDB suggests reading it as an infinitive from kalah (to finish, complete) rather than from the dubious root nalah. Spanish 'cuando termines' (when you finish) and French translations follow the emended reading. The parallel structure with 'when you cease from betraying' supports understanding this as temporal: when the Assyrian oppressor finishes his violent work, divine justice will respond in kind. 1×
AR["عِنْدَمَا-تَنْتَهِي-مِنَ"]·ben["যখন-তুমি-থামবে"]·DE["[כנלתך]"]·EN["you-shall-be-destroyed"]·FR["[כנלתך]"]·heb["כ-נלותך"]·HI["जैसे-तू-समाप्त-करे"]·ID["ketika-engkau-berhenti"]·IT["[כנלתך]"]·jav["nalika-panjenengan-rampung"]·KO["에-네가-그칠-때에"]·PT["quando-parares"]·RU["когда-кончишь"]·ES["cuando-termines"]·SW["ukimaliza"]·TR["bitirdigiinde"]·urd["جب-تو-ختم-کرے-گا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
נלה doubtful √ (Arabic نيل, نَالَ is obtain, attain, نَيْلٌ what one obtains by another’s bounty, Lane3040);—for supposed Hiph. Inf. sf. כַּנְּלֹתְךָ Is 33:1 = כְּהַנְלֹתְךָ (Ki GesLgb. 87 Köi. 574), read כְּכַלֹּתְךָ (Pi. Inf. of כלה; so Ra Capp GesThes Ew Kn Che Brd Di Du), cf. ‖ כַּהֲתִֽמְךָ.