וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־יִוָּ֨תְר֜וּ עֲשָׂרָ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֛ים בְּבַ֥יִת אֶחָ֖ד וָמֵֽתוּ׃
And it shall be, if ten men are left in one house, they shall die.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular used as a future (prophetic perfect); Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic consequence or conditional outcome.
- אִם (ʾim) – Root: —; Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Marks the hypothetical condition of survival within divine judgment.
- יִוָּתְרוּ (yiwataru) – Root: יתר (yatar); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “are left” or “remain”; Notes: Indicates those spared temporarily; emphasizes the totality of coming destruction—none will ultimately survive.
- עֲשָׂרָה (ʿasara) – Root: עשר (ʿasar); Form: Numeral masculine singular (ten); Translation: “ten”; Notes: Represents a small remnant, possibly symbolic of completeness reduced to near extinction.
- אֲנָשִׁים (ʾanashim) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “men”; Notes: Generic term for human beings, possibly referring to heads of households or citizens.
- בְּבַיִת (be-bayit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in a house”; Notes: Indicates a shared dwelling, emphasizing confinement and vulnerability during the calamity.
- אֶחָד (ʾeḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾaḥad); Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Highlights the unity of the household—no collective survival despite their togetherness.
- וָמֵתוּ (va-metu) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall die”; Notes: The verb of finality—underscores the inevitability of judgment that spares no one, even within the same house.