וְהַֽאֲכַלְתִּ֞ים אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֵת֙ בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּנֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְאִ֥ישׁ בְּשַׂר־רֵעֵ֖הוּ יֹאכֵ֑לוּ בְּמָצֹור֙ וּבְמָצֹ֔וק אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצִ֧יקוּ לָהֶ֛ם אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י נַפְשָֽׁם׃
And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and each shall eat the flesh of his companion in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life shall distress them.
Morphology
- וְהַֽאֲכַלְתִּ֞ים (ve-haʾakhaltim) – Root: אכל; Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “And I will make them eat”; Notes: Hiphil causative — divine decree forcing cannibalism in judgment.
- אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר (et-besar) – Root: בשר; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “the flesh of”; Notes: Object of the eating.
- בְּנֵיהֶ֗ם (benehem) – Root: בן; Form: Construct plural noun + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their sons”; Notes: Tragic image of consuming one’s own offspring.
- וְאֵת֙ (ve-et) – Root: את; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Introduces a second direct object.
- בְּשַׂ֣ר בְּנֹתֵיהֶ֔ם (besar benoteyhem) – Root: בשר, בת; Form: Noun construct chain with plural suffix; Translation: “the flesh of their daughters”; Notes: Continues the horrific imagery of famine and judgment.
- וְאִ֥ישׁ (ve-ish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and each man”; Notes: Individualizes the horror of the event.
- בְּשַׂר־רֵעֵ֖הוּ (besar-reʿehu) – Root: בשר, רֵע; Form: Construct noun + noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “the flesh of his companion”; Notes: Adds civil cannibalism to familial — complete societal collapse.
- יֹאכֵ֑לוּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall eat”; Notes: Indicates the unfolding of this horrific judgment.
- בְּמָצֹור֙ (be-matsor) – Root: צור; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the siege”; Notes: A military blockade causing starvation.
- וּבְמָצֹ֔וק (u-ve-matsoq) – Root: צוק; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and in the distress”; Notes: Emotional and physical anguish under siege.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (asher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a clause describing the source of the suffering.
- יָצִ֧יקוּ (yatsiqu) – Root: יצק; Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall cause distress”; Notes: Causative form showing external affliction.
- לָהֶ֛ם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: The recipients of the oppression.
- אֹיְבֵיהֶ֖ם (ʾoyveihem) – Root: איב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their enemies”; Notes: External aggressors enforcing siege and starvation.
- וּמְבַקְשֵׁ֥י (u-mevaqshei) – Root: בקש; Form: Conjunction + Piel participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “and those who seek”; Notes: Further intensifies the threat — intentional pursuit of lives.
- נַפְשָֽׁם (nafsham) – Root: נפשׁ; Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their life”; Notes: A Hebrew idiom for seeking to kill.