וְהָיָה֩ יַעַמְדוּ עָלָ֜יו דַּוָּגִ֗ים מֵעֵ֥ין גֶּ֨דִי֙ וְעַד־עֵ֣ין עֶגְלַ֔יִם מִשְׁטֹ֥וחַ לַֽחֲרָמִ֖ים יִהְי֑וּ לְמִינָה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה דְגָתָ֔ם כִּדְגַ֛ת הַיָּ֥ם הַגָּדֹ֖ול רַבָּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
And it shall come to be that fishermen shall stand by it, from ʿEin Gedi to ʿEin Eglayim; it shall be a place for spreading nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, like the fish of the great sea, very many.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: הָיָה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect with waw-consecutive (converted imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it shall come to be”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic result clause describing the future abundance.
- יַעַמְדוּ (yaʿamdu) – Root: עָמַד (ʿamad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall stand”; Notes: Refers to fishermen taking position along the shore.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Root: עַל (ʿal); Form: Preposition עַל + suffix 3ms; Translation: “by it” or “upon it”; Notes: Indicates standing beside or along the river.
- דַּוָּגִים (davvagim) – Root: דָּג (dag); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “fishermen”; Notes: Denotes those who catch fish, from the same root as “fish.”
- מֵעֵין (me-ʿein) – Root: עַיִן (ʿayin); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the spring of”; Notes: Refers to a water source or spring.
- גֶּדִי (Gedi) – Root: גְּדִי (Gedi); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gedi”; Notes: Refers to ʿEin Gedi, an oasis on the western shore of the Dead Sea.
- וְעַד־עֵין (ve-ʿad-ʿein) – Root: עַד (ʿad), עַיִן (ʿayin); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition עַד + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and unto the spring of”; Notes: Marks the extent of the fishing territory.
- עֶגְלַיִם (ʿEglayim) – Root: עֵגֶל (ʿegel); Form: Proper noun dual; Translation: “Eglayim”; Notes: A place near the Dead Sea, paired here with ʿEin Gedi.
- מִשְׁטֹוחַ (mishtoach) – Root: שָׁטַח (shataḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a place for spreading”; Notes: Refers to the area where nets are spread out to dry.
- לַחֲרָמִים (la-ḥaramim) – Root: חֶרֶם (ḥerem); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “for nets”; Notes: “ḥerem” here means fishing nets or gear.
- יִהְיוּ (yihyu) – Root: הָיָה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Describes the continued existence or purpose of the area.
- לְמִינָה (le-minah) – Root: מִין (min); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine singular construct + 3fs suffix; Translation: “according to their kinds”; Notes: Phrase denoting diversity and categorization, similar to Genesis creation language.
- תִּהְיֶה (tihyeh) – Root: הָיָה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Refers to the abundance and variety of the fish.
- דְגָתָם (degatam) – Root: דָּג (dag); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + suffix 3mp; Translation: “their fish”; Notes: Possessive construct indicating ownership of the catch by the fishermen.
- כִּדְגַת (ki-degat) – Root: דָּג (dag); Form: Conjunction כְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “like the fish of”; Notes: Comparative expression linking with the sea’s fish.
- הַיָּם (ha-yam) – Root: יָם (yam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sea”; Notes: Refers to the Mediterranean Sea, symbolic of abundance.
- הַגָּדֹול (ha-gadol) – Root: גָּדַל (gadal); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “the great”; Notes: Describes the vastness of the Mediterranean, often termed “the Great Sea.”
- רַבָּה (rabbah) – Root: רָבָה (ravah); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “many” or “abundant”; Notes: Emphasizes large quantity.
- מְאֹד (meʾod) – Root: מְאֹד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Strengthens the adjective, expressing immense abundance.