שְׁלִשִׁ֗ית בָּא֤וּר תַּבְעִיר֙ בְּתֹ֣וךְ הָעִ֔יר כִּמְלֹ֖את יְמֵ֣י הַמָּצֹ֑ור וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֣ אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֗ית תַּכֶּ֤ה בַחֶ֨רֶב֙ סְבִ֣יבֹותֶ֔יהָ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ תִּזְרֶ֣ה לָר֔וּחַ וְחֶ֖רֶב אָרִ֥יק אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃
A third part you shall burn with fire in the midst of the city when the days of the siege are fulfilled, and you shall take a third part and strike with the sword around it, and the third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.
Morphology
- שְׁלִשִׁית (shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Ordinal/adjectival feminine singular; Translation: “a third part”; Notes: Indicates division into thirds.
- בָּאוּר (ba-ʾur) – Root: אור; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the fire”; Notes: Specifies method of destruction.
- תַּבְעִיר (tavʿir) – Root: בער; Form: Hiphil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall burn”; Notes: Causative stem, commanding destruction by fire.
- בְּתוֹךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Locative phrase referring to the city center.
- הָעִיר (ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Refers to Yerushalayim symbolically.
- כִּמְלֹאת (kimlot) – Root: מלא; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct feminine singular; Translation: “when are fulfilled”; Notes: Temporal clause marker.
- יְמֵי (yemei) – Root: יום; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “days of”; Notes: Links to “siege.”
- הַמָּצוֹר (ha-matsor) – Root: צור; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the siege”; Notes: Refers to siege of Yerushalayim.
- וְלָקַחְתָּ (ve-laqaḥta) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal perfect 2ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “and you shall take”; Notes: Sequential command.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: —; Notes: Introduces the object “the third part.”
- הַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Definite ordinal feminine singular; Translation: “the third part”; Notes: Specifies portion to be struck with sword.
- תַּכֶּה (takkeh) – Root: נכה; Form: Hiphil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall strike”; Notes: Causative: active smiting with sword.
- בַּחֶרֶב (ba-ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “with the sword”; Notes: Instrument of judgment.
- סְבִיבֹותֶיהָ (sevivoteha) – Root: סבב; Form: Noun feminine plural with 3fs suffix; Translation: “around it”; Notes: Refers to surroundings of the city.
- וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ; Form: Conjunction + definite ordinal feminine singular; Translation: “and the third part”; Notes: Final portion designated for scattering.
- תִּזְרֶה (tizreh) – Root: זרה; Form: Qal imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall scatter”; Notes: Refers to dispersal of people like chaff.
- לָרוּחַ (la-ruaḥ) – Root: רוח; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the wind”; Notes: Symbolic of exile and dispersion.
- וְחֶרֶב (ve-ḥerev) – Root: חרב; Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and a sword”; Notes: Continues the theme of judgment.
- אָרִיק (ʾarik) – Root: ריק; Form: Hiphil imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will draw out”; Notes: YHWH speaks of unsheathing His sword.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶם (aḥareihem) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Judgment pursues even after dispersion.