וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ֩ שֶׁ֨בַע נָשִׁ֜ים בְּאִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֗ד בַּיֹּ֤ום הַהוּא֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לַחְמֵ֣נוּ נֹאכֵ֔ל וְשִׂמְלָתֵ֖נוּ נִלְבָּ֑שׁ רַ֗ק יִקָּרֵ֤א שִׁמְךָ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אֱסֹ֖ף חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ׃ ס
And seven women shall seize one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothing, only let your name be called upon us; take away our reproach.”
Morphology
- וְהֶחֱזִיקוּ (ve-heḥeziku) – Root: חזק; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person common plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and they shall seize”; Notes: Indicates a strong act of grasping or taking hold.
- שֶׁבַע (shevaʿ) – Root: שבע; Form: Cardinal number feminine; Translation: “seven”; Notes: Feminine form agrees with “women.”
- נָשִׁים (nashim) – Root: אשה; Form: Noun feminine plural (irregular); Translation: “women”; Notes: Subject of the verb “shall seize.”
- בְּאִישׁ (be-ish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “one man”; Notes: The object of the women’s action.
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Qualifies “man.”
- בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא (ba-yom ha-hu) – Root: יום; Form: Prepositional phrase with demonstrative; Translation: “in that day”; Notes: Refers to the day of judgment or distress.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the speech of the women.
- לַחְמֵנוּ (laḥmenu) – Root: לחם; Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our bread”; Notes: Indicates self-sufficiency.
- נֹאכֵל (noʾkhel) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will eat”; Notes: Stresses voluntary support by the women.
- וְשִׂמְלָתֵנוּ (ve-simlateinu) – Root: שׂמל; Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our clothing”; Notes: Continued emphasis on independence.
- נִלְבָּשׁ (nilbash) – Root: לבשׁ; Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we will wear”; Notes: Passive-reflexive, they will clothe themselves.
- רַק (raq) – Form: Adverb; Translation: “only”; Notes: Expresses the singular request in contrast to their independence.
- יִקָּרֵא (yiqqare) – Root: קרא; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let be called”; Notes: Passive, may imply marriage or protective affiliation.
- שִׁמְךָ (shimkha) – Root: שם; Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your name”; Notes: Symbolic of belonging or being claimed by a man.
- עָלֵינוּ (ʿaleinu) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “upon us”; Notes: Requests association or covering.
- אֱסֹף (esof) – Root: אסף; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “take away”; Notes: Plea to remove disgrace.
- חֶרְפָּתֵנוּ (ḥerpateinu) – Root: חרף; Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our reproach”; Notes: Social disgrace, likely referring to widowhood or childlessness.