וְאִם־לֹ֨א תֹורִ֜ישׁוּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָרֶץ֮ מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ וְהָיָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּותִ֣ירוּ מֵהֶ֔ם לְשִׂכִּים֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם וְצָרֲר֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם יֹשְׁבִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you let remain shall be as thorns in your eyes and as pricks in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land in which you dwell.
Morphology
- וְאִם־לֹ֨א (ve-im lo) – Root: אם (ʾm), לא (lʾ); Form: Conjunction with negative particle; Translation: “But if not”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- תֹורִ֜ישׁוּ (torishu) – Root: ירש (yrš); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you drive out”; Notes: Causative action of dispossession.
- אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י (ʾet-yoshvei) – Root: ישב (yšb); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the inhabitants of”; Notes: Refers to those residing in the land.
- הָאָרֶץ֮ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to the Promised Land.
- מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ (mi-pneikhem) – Root: פנה (pnh); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “from before you”; Notes: Indicates removal or separation.
- וְהָיָה֙ (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (hyh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “then it shall be”; Notes: Indicates result or consequence.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾšr); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- תֹּותִ֣ירוּ (totiru) – Root: יתר (ytr); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you let remain”; Notes: Refers to not removing or expelling.
- מֵהֶ֔ם (mehem) – Root: מן (mn); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “of them”; Notes: Indicates part of the group.
- לְשִׂכִּים֙ (le-sikkim) – Root: שׂוך (śwk); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “as thorns”; Notes: Figurative language for irritation or obstruction.
- בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם (be-eineikhem) – Root: עין (ʿyn); Form: Noun, dual with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Symbolizes constant annoyance or distress.
- וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם (ve-litsninim) – Root: צנן (ṣnn); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “and as pricks”; Notes: Indicates something sharp causing discomfort.
- בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם (be-tsideikhem) – Root: צד (ṣd); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in your sides”; Notes: Describes physical or metaphorical pain.
- וְצָרֲר֣וּ (ve-tsareru) – Root: צרר (ṣrr); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they shall harass”; Notes: Refers to causing trouble or hostility.
- אֶתְכֶ֔ם (etkhem) – Root: את (ʾt); Form: Direct object marker with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Specifies the object of harassment.
- עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ (ʿal-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the land”; Notes: Refers to the Promised Land.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾšr); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a defining clause.
- אַתֶּ֖ם (atem) – Root: אתם (ʾtm); Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- יֹשְׁבִ֥ים (yoshvim) – Root: ישב (yšb); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dwell”; Notes: Refers to inhabiting a place.
- בָּֽהּ׃ (bah) – Root: בוא (bʾ); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers back to the land.