וַתְּפוּצֶ֖ינָה מִבְּלִ֣י רֹעֶ֑ה וַתִּהְיֶ֧ינָה לְאָכְלָ֛ה לְכָל־חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וַתְּפוּצֶֽינָה׃
And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field, and they were scattered.
Morphology
- וַתְּפוּצֶינָה (va-tefutsenah) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “and they were scattered”; Notes: Refers to the flock (feminine collective) dispersed without guidance or protection.
- מִבְּלִי (mi-beli) – Root: בלי (beli); Form: Preposition מִן + noun meaning “without”; Translation: “because there was no” or “without”; Notes: Expresses cause—absence of leadership or care.
- רֹעֶה (roʿeh) – Root: רעָה (raʿah); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shepherd”; Notes: Symbol of leader or caretaker; its absence led to chaos.
- וַתִּהְיֶינָה (va-tihyenah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “and they became”; Notes: Describes the transformation of the scattered flock into prey.
- לְאָכְלָה (le-okhlah) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for food”; Notes: Indicates purpose or result—becoming sustenance for wild beasts.
- לְכָל־חַיַּת (le-khol-ḥayat) – Root: חי (ḥay); Form: Preposition לְ + noun common feminine singular construct; Translation: “for every beast”; Notes: The construct links with the following phrase “of the field.”
- הַשָּׂדֶה (ha-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (sadeh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “of the field”; Notes: Represents the untamed wilderness, a metaphor for hostile nations.
- וַתְּפוּצֶינָה (va-tefutsenah) – Root: פוץ (puts); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “and they were scattered”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis, conveying the completeness of the dispersion and loss.