וְנִשְׁבַּ֨עְתָּ֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ בֹ֛ו גֹּויִ֖ם וּבֹ֥ו יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃ ס
And you shall swear ‘As YHWH lives’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, and in Him the nations shall bless themselves and in Him they shall boast.”
Morphology
- וְנִשְׁבַּ֨עְתָּ (ve-nishbaʿta) – Root: שׁבע (shavaʿ); Form: Nifal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you shall swear”; Notes: The Nifal is passive-reflexive here, standard for oaths; the vav suggests a consequence or command in sequence.
- חַי־יְהוָ֔ה (ḥai-YHWH) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Noun masculine singular in construct + divine name; Translation: “As YHWH lives”; Notes: Standard Hebrew oath formula invoking the life of YHWH.
- בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת (be-ʾemet) – Root: אמת (ʾemet); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in truth”; Notes: One of three qualities expected in the oath.
- בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט (be-mishpaṭ) – Root: שׁפט (shafaṭ); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in justice”; Notes: Refers to fair judgment or legal integrity.
- וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה (u-vi-tsedaqah) – Root: צדק (tsedeq); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and in righteousness”; Notes: Ethical uprightness completing the triad of qualities.
- וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ (ve-hitbarekhu) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Hitpael perfect 3rd person plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall bless themselves”; Notes: Reflexive blessing, often implying invoking blessing by association.
- בֹו (vo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Preposition בְּ + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in Him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the one in whom the nations will find blessing.
- גֹּויִ֖ם (goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to non-Yisraʾelite peoples — the Gentiles.
- וּבֹ֥ו (u-vo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition בְּ + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and in Him”; Notes: Repetition for poetic emphasis, parallels blessing with boasting.
- יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ (yithallalu) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall boast”; Notes: Reflexive; indicates exultation or glorying in YHWH.