וְאָכַלְתָּ֣ פְרִֽי־בִטְנְךָ֗ בְּשַׂ֤ר בָּנֶ֨יךָ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֖ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּמָצֹור֙ וּבְמָצֹ֔וק אֲשֶׁר־יָצִ֥יק לְךָ֖ אֹיְבֶֽךָ׃
And you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your sons and your daughters, whom YHWH your God has given you, during the siege and the distress with which your enemies will oppress you.
Morphology
- וְאָכַלְתָּ (veʾakhalta) – Root: אכל (ʾ-k-l); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you will eat”; Notes: The vav-consecutive shifts the verb to future tense.
- פְרִי־בִטְנְךָ (peri-bitnekha) – Root: פרי (p-r-y) / בטן (b-t-n); Form: Construct chain, “fruit of your womb”; Translation: “the fruit of your womb”; Notes: A euphemism for offspring.
- בְּשַׂר (besar) – Root: בשר (b-s-r); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “the flesh”; Notes: Literal consumption indicating cannibalism due to extreme famine.
- בָּנֶיךָ (banekha) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your sons”; Notes: Refers to one’s own children.
- וּבְנֹתֶיךָ (uvenotekha) – Root: בת (b-t); Form: Noun feminine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your daughters”; Notes: Emphasizes the severity of the situation.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces a descriptive clause.
- נָתַן־לְךָ (natan-lekha) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + preposition + pronoun; Translation: “has given to you”; Notes: Refers to the divine gift of children.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, representing the name of God.
- אֱלֹהֶיךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to the deity in covenant with Israel.
- בְּמָצֹור (bematsor) – Root: צור (ts-w-r); Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “during the siege”; Notes: Indicates a military blockade.
- וּבְמָצֹוק (uvematsok) – Root: צוק (ts-w-q); Form: Noun masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “and the distress”; Notes: Refers to severe hardship and pressure.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Translation: “with which”; Notes: Connects the cause to the result.
- יָצִיק (yatsiq) – Root: יצק (y-ts-q); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will oppress”; Notes: Denotes causing pressure or distress.
- לְךָ (lekha) – Root: Preposition + pronoun; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the action towards the addressed individual.
- אֹיְבֶךָ (ʾoyvekha) – Root: אויב (ʾ-w-y-b); Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your enemy”; Notes: Refers to the opposing force causing the siege.