בַּיֹּ֨ום הַה֜וּא יִהְי֣וּ עָרֵ֣י מָעֻזֹּ֗ו כַּעֲזוּבַ֤ת הַחֹ֨רֶשׁ֙ וְהָ֣אָמִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָזְב֔וּ מִפְּנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהָיְתָ֖ה שְׁמָמָֽה׃
In that day his fortified cities shall be like the forsaken places of the forest and the hilltop, which they abandoned before the children of Yisraʾel; and it shall become desolation.
Morphology
- בַּיֹּום (ba-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “In the day”; Notes: Refers to a future moment of judgment or fulfillment.
- הַהוּא (ha-hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Qualifies “day” as specific and future.
- יִהְיוּ (yihyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: Refers to the cities in the next phrase.
- עָרֵי (ʿarei) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Construct plural noun; Translation: “cities of”; Notes: In construct with “fortress.”
- מָעֻזֹּו (maʿuzzō) – Root: עזז (ʿazaz); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his fortress” or “stronghold”; Notes: Refers to the cities’ defensive strength.
- כַּעֲזוּבַת (ka-ʿazuvat) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Preposition + passive participle feminine singular construct; Translation: “like the forsaking of”; Notes: Compares the cities to abandoned places.
- הַחֹרֶשׁ (ha-ḥoresh) – Root: חרשׁ (ḥoresh); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the forest”; Notes: A deserted woodland area.
- וְהָאָמִיר (ve-ha-ʾamir) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “and the hilltop” or “the treetop”; Notes: Possibly elevated or exposed places.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- עָזְבוּ (ʿazvu) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they abandoned”; Notes: Refers to former occupants.
- מִפְּנֵי (mi-penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + construct noun plural; Translation: “from before”; Notes: Indicates cause or fear.
- בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (bene Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the children of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Represents the conquering force.
- וְהָיְתָה (ve-hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and it shall become”; Notes: Refers back to the cities.
- שְׁמָמָה (shemamah) – Root: שׁמם (shamam); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “desolation”; Notes: Describes the final state of the cities.