וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה יְבִמְתֹּ֣ו אֵלָיו֮ לְעֵינֵ֣י הַזְּקֵנִים֒ וְחָלְצָ֤ה נַעֲלֹו֙ מֵעַ֣ל רַגְלֹ֔ו וְיָרְקָ֖ה בְּפָנָ֑יו וְעָֽנְתָה֙ וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה כָּ֚כָה יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו
Then his brother’s widow shall approach him in the sight of the elders, and she shall remove his sandal from his foot and spit in his face, and she shall answer and say: ‘Thus shall be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’
Morphology
- וְנִגְּשָׁ֨ה (ve-niggshah) – Root: נגש (niggash); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “Then she shall approach”; Notes: Refers to the widow taking action.
- יְבִמְתֹּ֣ו (yevimtov) – Root: יבם (yavam); Form: Noun, feminine singular with suffix; Translation: “his brother’s widow”; Notes: Specifies the widow’s role.
- אֵלָיו֮ (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- לְעֵינֵ֣י (le-ʿeine) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual construct; Translation: “in the sight of”; Notes: Specifies presence of witnesses.
- הַזְּקֵנִים֒ (ha-zekenim) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the elders”; Notes: Refers to the community leaders.
- וְחָלְצָ֤ה (ve-ḥaletzah) – Root: חלץ (ḥalatz); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she shall remove”; Notes: Act of public humiliation.
- נַעֲלֹו֙ (naʿalo) – Root: נעל (naʿal); Form: Noun, feminine singular with suffix; Translation: “his sandal”; Notes: Symbolic gesture.
- מֵעַ֣ל (me-ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “from upon”; Notes: Indicates removal.
- רַגְלֹ֔ו (raglo) – Root: רגל (regel); Form: Noun, feminine singular with suffix; Translation: “his foot”; Notes: Specifies the act.
- וְיָרְקָ֖ה (ve-yarka) – Root: ירק (yaraq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she shall spit”; Notes: Expression of contempt.
- בְּפָנָ֑יו (be-fanav) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition and suffix; Translation: “in his face”; Notes: Public disgrace.
- וְעָֽנְתָה֙ (ve-ʿaneta) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she shall answer”; Notes: Declaring publicly.
- וְאָ֣מְרָ֔ה (ve-amrah) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she shall say”; Notes: Announces punishment.
- כָּ֚כָה (kakha) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces judgment.
- יֵעָשֶׂ֣ה (yeʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be done”; Notes: Refers to prescribed action.
- לָאִ֔ישׁ (la-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “to the man”; Notes: The subject of the punishment.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- לֹא־יִבְנֶ֖ה (lo-yivneh) – Root: בנה (banah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “does not build”; Notes: Refers to refusing to uphold the family name.
- אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אָחִֽיו (et-beit aḥiv) – Root: בית (bayit), אח (aḥ); Form: Noun construct with suffix; Translation: “his brother’s house”; Notes: Refers to the deceased brother’s legacy.