הַמֵּ֤ת לְבַעְשָׁא֙ בָּעִ֔יר יֹֽאכְל֖וּ הַכְּלָבִ֑ים וְהַמֵּ֥ת לֹו֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ עֹ֥וף הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
The one of Baʿsha who dies in the city, the dogs shall eat; and the one of his who dies in the field, the birds of the heavens shall eat.
Morphology
- הַמֵּ֤ת (ha-met) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Definite article + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the one who dies”; Notes: Functions as a substantive participle.
- לְבַעְשָׁא֙ (le-Baʿsha) – Root: בעשא (Baʿsha); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “of Baʿsha”; Notes: Indicates possession or association.
- בָּעִ֔יר (ba-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition with definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “in the city”; Notes: Location of death.
- יֹֽאכְל֖וּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall eat”; Notes: Refers to future habitual action by animals.
- הַכְּלָבִ֑ים (ha-kelavim) – Root: כלב (kelev); Form: Definite noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the dogs”; Notes: Carrion-eating animals, sign of shameful death.
- וְהַמֵּ֥ת (ve-ha-met) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Conjunction + definite article + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and the one who dies”; Notes: Parallel to earlier clause, continuing the sentence.
- לֹו֙ (lo) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “of his”; Notes: Possessive, referring again to Baʿsha.
- בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה (ba-sadeh) – Root: שדה (sadeh); Form: Preposition with definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “in the field”; Notes: Contrasts with death in the city.
- יֹאכְל֖וּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall eat”; Notes: Same verb as earlier for poetic parallelism.
- עֹ֥וף (ʿof) – Root: עוף (ʿof); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “bird”; Notes: Generic term for flying creatures.
- הַשָּׁמָֽיִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun, masculine dual/plural; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Typical biblical phrase: “birds of the heavens.”