וַהֲפִצֹותִ֤י אֶת־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם וְזֵרִיתִ֥י אֹותָ֖ם בָּאֲרָצֹ֑ות וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס
And I will scatter Mitsrayim among the nations and disperse them among the lands, and they shall know that I am YHWH.’”
Morphology
- וַהֲפִצֹותִי (va-hafitsoti) – Root: פוץ (futs); Form: Hiphil wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will scatter”; Notes: Hiphil conveys causative force—YHWH causes dispersion, a judgment act dispersing Mitsrayim (Egypt) across nations.
- אֶת־מִצְרַיִם (ʾet-Mitsrayim) – Root: —; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim (Egypt)”; Notes: The nation under divine judgment; serves as the object of YHWH’s scattering action.
- בַּגֹּויִם (ba-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural definite; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Depicts Egypt’s forced dispersion and humiliation among foreign peoples, losing its identity and power.
- וְזֵרִיתִי (ve-zeriti) – Root: זרה (zarah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and I will disperse”; Notes: A synonym reinforcing the first verb, often used for scattering like grain or chaff—complete dispersal.
- אֹותָם (otam) – Root: את (ʾot); Form: Pronoun masculine plural object suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers back to Mitsrayim, emphasizing the people as those who will experience dispersion.
- בָּאֲרָצֹות (ba-aratsot) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural definite; Translation: “in the lands”; Notes: Expresses broad geographical range—Egyptians will be scattered over multiple lands.
- וְיָדְעוּ (ve-yadʿu) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and they shall know”; Notes: A key refrain in Ezekiel—recognition of YHWH’s sovereignty through judgment and restoration alike.
- כִּי־אֲנִי יְהוָה (ki-ʾani YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction כִּי + pronoun אֲנִי + divine name; Translation: “that I am YHWH”; Notes: Climactic declaration affirming divine authority—Egypt’s downfall reveals YHWH’s ultimate power over nations.