וְהָיָ֖ה בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֑וּא וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־קֶ֣שֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖מֶק יִזְרְעֶֽאל׃
And it shall come to pass in that day that I will break the bow of Yisraʾel in the valley of Yizreʿel.”
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal perfect 3ms with conjunctive וְ; Translation: “and it shall come to pass”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic future event, typical in divine pronouncements.
- בַּיֹּום (ba-yom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the day”; Notes: Establishes the temporal setting of the prophecy.
- הַהוּא (ha-hu) – Root: הוא (h-wʾ); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “that”; Notes: Refers to the specific future day of judgment decreed by YHWH.
- וְשָׁבַרְתִּי (ve-shavarti) – Root: שׁבר (š-b-r); Form: Qal perfect 1cs with conjunctive וְ; Translation: “and I will break”; Notes: Expresses divine agency in destroying Israel’s military power.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: (no direct translation); Notes: Introduces the direct object “the bow of Yisraʾel.”
- קֶשֶׁת (qeshet) – Root: קשׁת (q-š-t); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “bow”; Notes: Symbol of military strength and warfare; its breaking indicates defeat.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שרר (ś-r-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom; signifies the object of divine judgment.
- בְּעֵמֶק (be-ʿemeq) – Root: עמק (ʿ-m-q); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the valley of”; Notes: Identifies the geographical site where the downfall will occur.
- יִזְרְעֶאל (Yizreʿel) – Root: זרע (z-r-ʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yizreʿel”; Notes: Means “God sows”; here it is the site of divine retribution, closing the wordplay initiated in verse 4.