וְנָשַׁל֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֶת־הַגֹּויִ֥ם הָאֵ֛ל מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ מְעַ֣ט מְעָ֑ט לֹ֤א תוּכַל֙ כַּלֹּתָ֣ם מַהֵ֔ר פֶּן־תִּרְבֶּ֥ה עָלֶ֖יךָ חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
And YHWH your God will drive out these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to finish them quickly, lest the wild animals of the field multiply against you.
Morphology
- וְנָשַׁל֩ (ve-nashal) – Root: נשל (nashal); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav conjunction; Translation: “will drive out”; Notes: Refers to gradual expulsion.
- יְהוָ֨ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾeloha); Form: Noun, plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Indicates personal relationship with God.
- אֶת־הַגֹּויִ֥ם (et-ha-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the nations”; Notes: Refers to the nations inhabiting the Promised Land.
- הָאֵ֛ל (ha-el) – Root: אל (el); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the targeted nations.
- מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ (mi-panekha) – Root: פנה (paneh); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
- מְעַ֣ט מְעָ֑ט (meʿat meʿat) – Root: מעט (meʿat); Form: Adverb; Translation: “little by little”; Notes: Describes gradual progress.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Indicates negation.
- תוּכַל֙ (tukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you will be able”; Notes: Expresses capability.
- כַּלֹּתָ֣ם (kallotam) – Root: כלה (kalah); Form: Piel infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to finish them”; Notes: Refers to complete extermination.
- מַהֵ֔ר (maher) – Root: מהר (maher); Form: Adverb; Translation: “quickly”; Notes: Describes immediacy.
- פֶּן־ (pen) – Root: פן (pen); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Indicates a potential consequence.
- תִּרְבֶּ֥ה (tirbeh) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it multiplies”; Notes: Refers to an increase in number.
- עָלֶ֖יךָ (ʿalekha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Indicates opposition.
- חַיַּ֥ת (ḥayyat) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “wild animals”; Notes: Refers to undomesticated creatures.
- הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (ha-sadeh) – Root: שדה (sadeh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “of the field”; Notes: Specifies habitat.