וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ אֶֽעֱלֶה֙ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ פְּרָזֹ֔ות אָבֹוא֙ הַשֹּׁ֣קְטִ֔ים יֹשְׁבֵ֖י לָבֶ֑טַח כֻּלָּ֗ם יֹֽשְׁבִים֙ בְּאֵ֣ין חֹומָ֔ה וּבְרִ֥יחַ וּדְלָתַ֖יִם אֵ֥ין לָהֶֽם׃
And you shall say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages; I will come against those who are quiet, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without wall, and bars and gates they have none.
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (veʾamarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall say”; Notes: Marks Gog’s internal decision or declaration of intent following his evil plan.
- אֶעֱלֶה (ʾeʿeleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will go up”; Notes: Describes Gog’s aggressive action of ascending against the land, a common Hebrew idiom for invading or advancing.
- עַל־אֶרֶץ (ʿal-erets) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition עַל + noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the land”; Notes: Indicates the target or object of Gog’s attack.
- פְּרָזֹות (perazot) – Root: פרז (paraz); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “unwalled villages”; Notes: Refers to rural or undefended settlements, emphasizing the inhabitants’ peace and vulnerability.
- אָבֹוא (avo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will come”; Notes: Continuation of Gog’s intent—expresses forward motion toward invasion.
- הַשֹּׁקְטִים (ha-shoketim) – Root: שׁקט (shaqat); Form: Definite article הַ + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “the quiet ones”; Notes: Refers to peaceful or unsuspecting inhabitants.
- יֹשְׁבֵי (yoshvei) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “those dwelling”; Notes: Describes ongoing habitation or settled life, modifying “securely.”
- לָבֶטַח (la-vetakh) – Root: בטח (bataḥ); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in security”; Notes: Denotes safety and peace, often under divine or political stability.
- כֻּלָּם (kullam) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular with suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “all of them”; Notes: Emphasizes that the entire population lives in tranquility.
- יֹשְׁבִים (yoshvim) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dwelling”; Notes: Continues the description of the people’s peaceful habitation.
- בְּאֵין (be-ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾayin); Form: Preposition בְּ + negative existential particle; Translation: “without”; Notes: Denotes absence—“without wall.”
- חֹומָה (ḥomah) – Root: חמה (ḥomah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “wall”; Notes: Symbol of defense or separation; its absence highlights peaceful conditions.
- וּבְרִיחַ (u-veriʿaḥ) – Root: ברח (beriʿaḥ); Form: Conjunction וּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and bars”; Notes: Metal or wooden crossbars used to secure gates; further emphasizes defenselessness.
- וּדְלָתַיִם (u-delatayim) – Root: דלת (delet); Form: Conjunction וּ + dual noun feminine; Translation: “and gates”; Notes: The dual form reflects paired structures; cities normally had double gates for protection.
- אֵין (ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾayin); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there are none”; Notes: Reinforces total absence of defensive structures.
- לָהֶם (lahem) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “for them”; Notes: Refers back to the inhabitants living securely in undefended settlements.