וְעָבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ יְהוָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּרָעָ֧ב וּבְצָמָ֛א וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל וְנָתַ֞ן עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִידֹ֖ו אֹתָֽךְ׃
And you will serve your enemies whom YHWH will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack of everything. And He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.
Morphology
- וְעָבַדְתָּ֣ (veʿavadta) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you will serve”; Notes: Indicates forced servitude as a consequence.
- אֶת־אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ (et-ʾoyvekha) – Root: אויב (ʾ-y-v); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your enemies”; Notes: Direct object marker indicates the ones served.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces the clause specifying the enemies.
- יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ (yeshalleḥennu) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “will send him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH sending the enemies.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: The Tetragrammaton; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God, indicating divine action.
- בָּ֔ךְ (bakh) – Root: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Emphasizes personal consequence.
- בְּרָעָ֧ב (beraʿav) – Root: רעב (r-ʿ-v); Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “in hunger”; Notes: Describes the state of deprivation.
- וּבְצָמָ֛א (uvetzama) – Root: צמא (ts-m-ʾ); Form: Noun masculine singular with conjunction and preposition; Translation: “and in thirst”; Notes: Continues the list of hardships.
- וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם (uvʿeirom) – Root: ערם (ʿ-r-m); Form: Noun masculine singular with conjunction and preposition; Translation: “and in nakedness”; Notes: Signifies lack of basic clothing.
- וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל (uvkhoser kol) – Root: חסר (ḥ-s-r) / כלל (k-l-l); Form: Noun masculine singular in construct with conjunction; Translation: “and in lack of everything”; Notes: Emphasizes total deprivation.
- וְנָתַ֞ן (venatan) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And He will put”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s action of imposing hardship.
- עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ (ʿol barzel) – Root: עלל (ʿ-l-l) / ברזל (b-r-z-l); Form: Noun masculine singular in construct; Translation: “an iron yoke”; Notes: Symbolizes oppression and enslavement.
- עַל־צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ (ʿal-tsavarekha) – Root: צואר (ts-v-r); Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “on your neck”; Notes: Indicates the burden placed on the individual.
- עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִידֹ֖ו אֹתָֽךְ (ʿad hishmido otakha) – Root: שמד (sh-m-d); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix + 2nd person masculine singular pronoun; Translation: “until He has destroyed you”; Notes: Marks the finality of the judgment.