יָחֻ֨לוּ֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ יֹואָ֔ב וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יו וְֽאַל־יִכָּרֵ֣ת מִבֵּ֣ית יֹואָ֡ב זָ֠ב וּמְצֹרָ֞ע וּמַחֲזִ֥יק בַּפֶּ֛לֶךְ וְנֹפֵ֥ל בַּחֶ֖רֶב וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם׃
May it fall upon the head of Yoʾav and upon all the house of his father, and may there not be cut off from the house of Yoʾav one who has a discharge or is a leper or who holds the spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread.”
Morphology
- יָחֻ֨לוּ (yaḥullu) – Root: חלה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person plural, jussive; Translation: “May it fall upon”; Notes: Expresses a curse or wish.
- עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ (ʿal-roʾsh) – Root: על / ראשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “upon the head of”; Notes: Indicates target of the curse.
- יֹואָ֔ב (Yoʾav) – Root: יואב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yoʾav”; Notes: Commander under Dawid.
- וְאֶ֖ל (veʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and upon”; Notes: Connects the curse to the next object.
- כָּל־בֵּ֣ית (kol-beit) – Root: כל / בית; Form: Noun construct chain; Translation: “all the house of”; Notes: Totality of the family line.
- אָבִ֑יו (aviv) – Root: אב; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Refers to paternal house.
- וְֽאַל־יִכָּרֵ֣ת (veʾal-yikkaret) – Root: כרת; Form: Conjunction + negation + Nifal imperfect 3rd masculine singular, jussive; Translation: “and may there not be cut off”; Notes: Negative wish or curse.
- מִבֵּ֣ית (mi-beit) – Root: בית; Form: Preposition + noun construct; Translation: “from the house of”; Notes: Indicates source or origin.
- יֹואָ֡ב (Yoʾav) – Root: יואב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yoʾav”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- זָ֠ב (zav) – Root: זוב; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “one with a discharge”; Notes: Ceremonially unclean person (Levitical impurity).
- וּמְצֹרָ֞ע (u-metsoraʿ) – Root: צרע; Form: Conjunction + participle, masculine singular; Translation: “and a leper”; Notes: Refers to one afflicted with skin disease.
- וּמַחֲזִ֥יק (u-maḥazik) – Root: חזק; Form: Conjunction + participle, masculine singular (Hifil); Translation: “and one who holds”; Notes: Hifil indicates causative force.
- בַּפֶּ֛לֶךְ (ba-felekh) – Root: פלך; Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the spindle”; Notes: Tool associated with women’s work, possibly implying disgrace.
- וְנֹפֵ֥ל (ve-nofel) – Root: נפל; Form: Conjunction + participle, masculine singular; Translation: “and one who falls”; Notes: Continuous aspect.
- בַּחֶ֖רֶב (ba-ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “by the sword”; Notes: Instrument of death.
- וַחֲסַר־לָֽחֶם (va-ḥasar-laḥem) – Root: חסר / לחם; Form: Conjunction + participle + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and one who lacks bread”; Notes: Describes poverty or hunger.