וַהֲצֵרֹ֣תִי לָאָדָ֗ם וְהָֽלְכוּ֙ כַּֽעִוְרִ֔ים כִּ֥י לַֽיהוָ֖ה חָטָ֑אוּ וְשֻׁפַּ֤ךְ דָּמָם֙ כֶּֽעָפָ֔ר וּלְחֻמָ֖ם כַּגְּלָלִֽים׃
And I will press distress upon humankind and they shall walk like the blind because they have sinned against YHWH and their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung-heaps.
Morphology
- וַהֲצֵרֹתִי (va-hatseroti) – Root: צרר (tsarar); Form: Conjunction + Hiphil wayyiqtol 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will press distress”; Notes: YHWH is the direct agent imposing calamity.
- לָאָדָם (la-adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “upon humankind”; Notes: Humanity at large is the target.
- וְהָלְכוּ (ve-haleku) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they shall walk”; Notes: Describes their helpless movement.
- כַּעִוְרִים (ka-‘ivrim) – Root: עור (‘aver); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “like the blind”; Notes: Symbolizes utter disorientation.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for judgment.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition לְ + divine proper name; Translation: “against YHWH”; Notes: Indicates sin directed toward the covenant God.
- חָטָאוּ (ḥata’u) – Root: חטא (ḥata’); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they have sinned”; Notes: States the foundational wrongdoing.
- וְשֻׁפַּךְ (ve-shufakh) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Conjunction + Pual perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and shall be poured out”; Notes: Passive form emphasizes the violence against them.
- דָּמָם (damam) – Root: דם (dam); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “their blood”; Notes: Points to slaughter as part of judgment.
- כֶּעָפָר (ke-‘afar) – Root: עפר (‘afar); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like dust”; Notes: Highlights worthlessness and the extent of death.
- וּלְחֻמָם (u-leḥumam) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Conjunction + preposition לְ + noun masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and their flesh”; Notes: Their physical bodies receive further disgrace.
- כַּגְּלָלִים (ka-ggelalim) – Root: גלל (galal); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “like dung-heaps”; Notes: Final image of contempt and utter degradation.