וְכָרַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֤ם בְּרִית֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֔וּא עִם־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְעִם־עֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וְקֶ֨שֶׁת וְחֶ֤רֶב וּמִלְחָמָה֙ אֶשְׁבֹּ֣ור מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּ֖ים לָבֶֽטַח׃
And I will make for them a covenant in that day with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and the creeping thing of the ground; and bow and sword and war I will break from the land, and I will make them lie down in safety.
Morphology
- וְכָרַתִּי (ve-kharatti) – Root: כרת (k-r-t); Form: Qal perfect 1cs with conjunction וְ; Translation: “and I will make” or “and I will cut”; Notes: The idiom “to cut a covenant” comes from the practice of dividing animals during covenant ceremonies (cf. Genesis 15:10).
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + third mp suffix; Translation: “for them”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s people, signifying His gracious initiative toward Israel’s peace.
- בְּרִית (berit) – Root: ברית (b-r-t); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Denotes a binding divine promise or treaty of peace encompassing all creation.
- בַּיֹּום הַהוּא (ba-yom ha-hu) – Root: יום (y-w-m) / הוא (h-w-ʾ); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun + demonstrative adjective; Translation: “in that day”; Notes: Prophetic expression indicating a future redemptive period of divine peace.
- עִם־חַיַּת (ʿim-ḥayat) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Preposition עִם + construct singular of “beast”; Translation: “with the beast of”; Notes: Symbolizes the reversal of curse in Genesis 9:2 — peace even among animals.
- הַשָּׂדֶה (ha-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (ś-d-h); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the field”; Notes: Denotes all wild animals that inhabit the open land.
- וְעִם־עֹוף (ve-ʿim-ʿof) – Root: עוף (ʿ-w-p); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עִם + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and with the bird”; Notes: Includes birds of the sky — part of creation harmonized under divine peace.
- הַשָּׁמַיִם (ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (š-m-y-m); Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Represents the realm of flying creatures — extending the covenant’s reach to the skies.
- וְרֶמֶשׂ (ve-remes) – Root: רמשׂ (r-m-ś); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the creeping thing”; Notes: Denotes small land creatures; reflects complete restoration of peace across all tiers of creation.
- הָאֲדָמָה (ha-adamah) – Root: אדם (ʾ-d-m); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the ground”; Notes: Signifies the earthly realm under divine order and blessing.
- וְקֶשֶׁת (ve-qeshet) – Root: קשת (q-š-t); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and bow”; Notes: Represents instruments of war that YHWH will abolish, symbolizing the cessation of conflict.
- וְחֶרֶב (ve-ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥ-r-v); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and sword”; Notes: Part of the triad of destruction now neutralized under divine peace.
- וּמִלְחָמָה (u-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (l-ḥ-m); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and war”; Notes: The general concept of warfare; peace will replace human and natural strife.
- אֶשְׁבֹּור (eshbor) – Root: שׁבר (š-b-r); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will break”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s active intervention — dismantling the tools of violence.
- מִן־הָאָרֶץ (min-ha-arets) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ṣ); Form: Preposition מִן + definite noun; Translation: “from the land”; Notes: Indicates removal of war from the land of Israel; a full transformation of its condition.
- וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּים (ve-hishkavtim) – Root: שׁכב (š-k-b); Form: Hiphil perfect 1cs + 3mp suffix; Translation: “and I will make them lie down”; Notes: Causative form; expresses YHWH’s promise of granting security and peace.
- לָבֶטַח (la-vetah) – Root: בטח (b-t-ḥ); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in safety”; Notes: Signifies complete trust and freedom from fear under divine protection.