שְׁלִשִׁתֵ֞יךְ בַּדֶּ֣בֶר יָמ֗וּתוּ וּבָֽרָעָב֙ יִכְל֣וּ בְתֹוכֵ֔ךְ וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ית בַּחֶ֖רֶב יִפְּל֣וּ סְבִיבֹותָ֑יִךְ וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית֙ לְכָל־ר֣וּחַ אֱזָרֶ֔ה וְחֶ֖רֶב אָרִ֥יק אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
A third part of you shall die by pestilence and by famine they shall be consumed in your midst, and a third part shall fall by the sword around you, and the third part I will scatter to every wind, and a sword I will draw out after them.
Morphology
- שְׁלִשִׁתֵיךְ (shelishiteikh) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Ordinal noun feminine singular construct + 2fs suffix; Translation: “a third part of you”; Notes: Division of Yerushalayim’s population.
- בַּדֶּבֶר (ba-dever) – Root: דבר; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “by pestilence”; Notes: Instrument of divine judgment.
- יָמוּתוּ (yamutu) – Root: מות; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall die”; Notes: Future action tied to pestilence.
- וּבָרָעָב (u-va-raʿav) – Root: רעב; Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and by famine”; Notes: Parallel instrument of judgment.
- יִכְלוּ (yikhelu) – Root: כלה; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall be consumed”; Notes: Depicts wasting away under siege.
- בְתוֹכֵךְ (ve-tokhekh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct + 2fs suffix; Translation: “in your midst”; Notes: Refers to Yerushalayim.
- וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Conjunction + definite ordinal feminine singular; Translation: “and the third part”; Notes: Continues tripartite judgment.
- בַּחֶרֶב (ba-ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “by the sword”; Notes: Execution by war.
- יִפְּלוּ (yipelu) – Root: נפל; Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they shall fall”; Notes: Refers to death in battle.
- סְבִיבֹותָיִךְ (sevivotayikh) – Root: סבב; Form: Noun feminine plural + 2fs suffix; Translation: “around you”; Notes: Refers to the environs of Yerushalayim.
- וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Conjunction + definite ordinal feminine singular; Translation: “and the third part”; Notes: Final portion of the population.
- לְכָל־רוּחַ (le-khol-ruaḥ) – Root: רוח; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “to every wind”; Notes: Symbol of dispersion in all directions.
- אֱזָרֶה (ezareh) – Root: זרה; Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will scatter”; Notes: YHWH disperses survivors of judgment.
- וְחֶרֶב (ve-ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and a sword”; Notes: Continues imagery of relentless pursuit.
- אָרִיק (ʾarik) – Root: ריק; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will draw out”; Notes: YHWH declares His sword will be unsheathed.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶם (aḥareihem) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Sword pursues those dispersed.