וּשְׁאָ֧ר מִסְפַּר־קֶ֛שֶׁת גִּבֹּורֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־קֵדָ֖ר יִמְעָ֑טוּ כִּ֛י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דִּבֵּֽר׃ ס
And the remainder of the number of the bowmen, the mighty men of the sons of Qedar, shall be few; for YHWH, the God of Yisraʾel, has spoken.
Morphology
- וּשְׁאָ֧ר (u-sheʾar) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “And the remainder”; Notes: Refers to what is left after a reduction or destruction.
- מִסְפַּר־קֶ֛שֶׁת (mispar-qeshet) – Root: ספר (safar) + קשת (qeshet); Form: Construct chain: noun masculine singular + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the number of the bow”; Notes: Likely an idiom referring to archers or bowmen.
- גִּבֹּורֵ֥י (gibborei) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “mighty men of”; Notes: Denotes warriors or elite fighters.
- בְנֵֽי־קֵדָ֖ר (bene-Qedar) – Root: בן (ben) + קדר (Qedar); Form: Construct phrase: noun masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “sons of Qedar”; Notes: Refers to the tribal warriors of the Arabian group descended from Yishmaʿel.
- יִמְעָ֑טוּ (yimʿatu) – Root: מעט (maʿat); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall be few”; Notes: Predicts a drastic reduction in number or strength.
- כִּ֛י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the cause or reason for the prophetic certainty.
- יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The sacred personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֱלֹהֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Elohei-Yisraʾel) – Root: אלה (ʾeloh); Form: Construct phrase: noun masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Title reinforcing divine authority and covenant identity.
- דִּבֵּֽר (dibber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has spoken”; Notes: Emphasizes the certainty and finality of the prophecy—it is as good as done.