וְנָתַתִּ֣י אֶת־אֶרֶץ֩ מִצְרַ֨יִם שְׁמָמָ֜ה בְּתֹ֣וךְ אֲרָצֹ֣ות נְשַׁמֹּ֗ות וְעָרֶ֨יהָ֙ בְּתֹ֨וךְ עָרִ֤ים מָֽחֳרָבֹות֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣יןָ שְׁמָמָ֔ה אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַהֲפִצֹתִ֤י אֶת־מִצְרַ֨יִם֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם וְֽזֵרִיתִ֖ים בָּאֲרָצֹֽות׃ פ
And I will make the land of Mitsrayim a desolation in the midst of desolated lands, and her cities in the midst of ruined cities shall be a desolation forty years; and I will scatter Mitsrayim among the nations and disperse them among the countries.
Morphology
- וְנָתַתִּי (ve-natatti) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “And I will make”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s active decree to transform Egypt into a desolate state.
- אֶת־אֶרֶץ (et-erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Direct object of YHWH’s action; refers specifically to the territory of Mitsrayim.
- מִצְרַיִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt as the subject of divine judgment.
- שְׁמָמָה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Denotes a state of complete emptiness and ruin.
- בְּתֹוךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Indicates Egypt’s position among other devastated lands.
- אֲרָצֹות (aratsot) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “lands”; Notes: Refers to neighboring territories that have also suffered destruction.
- נְשַׁמֹּות (neshamot) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine plural passive participle form; Translation: “desolated”; Notes: Describes the devastated condition of surrounding lands.
- וְעָרֶיהָ (ve-ʿareha) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun feminine plural + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and her cities”; Notes: Refers to Egypt’s urban centers, personified as belonging to her.
- בְּתֹוךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (tokh); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, highlighting Egypt’s situation among other ruined cities.
- עָרִים (ʿarim) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “cities”; Notes: Plural form contrasts Egypt’s many once-thriving cities now destined for ruin.
- מָחֳרָבֹות (maḥoravot) – Root: חרב (ḥarav); Form: Passive participle feminine plural (Qal); Translation: “ruined”; Notes: Refers to cities that have been destroyed or laid waste.
- תִּהְיֶינָה (tihyenah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Future tense indicating the inevitable state of desolation.
- שְׁמָמָה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Repetition reinforces total devastation and emptiness.
- אַרְבָּעִים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Numeral; Translation: “forty”; Notes: Symbolic of a full period of divine judgment and restoration delay.
- שָׁנָה (shanah) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “year”; Notes: Completes the expression “forty years,” denoting the duration of Egypt’s desolation.
- וַהֲפִצֹתִי (va-hafitṣoti) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hifil perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “and I will scatter”; Notes: Indicates divine dispersion of the Egyptian people among the nations.
- אֶת־מִצְרַיִם (et-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: The object of scattering; Egypt’s people are dispersed as part of YHWH’s judgment.
- בַּגֹּויִם (ba-goyim) – Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Refers to the dispersion of Egyptians among foreign peoples.
- וְזֵרִיתִים (ve-zeritim) – Root: זרה (zarah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 1st person common singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and I will disperse them”; Notes: Parallel verb to “scatter,” reinforcing the completeness of the dispersion.
- בָּאֲרָצֹות (ba-aratsot) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “in the lands” or “among the countries”; Notes: Expands on the scope of dispersion, suggesting multiple foreign territories.