וַיִּגְזֹ֤ר עַל־יָמִין֙ וְרָעֵ֔ב וַיֹּ֥אכַל עַל־שְׂמֹ֖אול וְלֹ֣א שָׂבֵ֑עוּ אִ֥ישׁ בְּשַׂר־זְרֹעֹ֖ו יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃
And he shall cut on the right and be hungry, and he shall eat on the left but not be satisfied; each man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.
Morphology
- וַיִּגְזֹ֤ר (va-yigzor) – Root: גזר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he shall cut”; Notes: Indicates desperate action—cutting to find food.
- עַל־יָמִין (ʿal-yamin) – Root: ימן; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “on the right”; Notes: Symbolically represents effort in one direction.
- וְרָעֵ֔ב (ve-raʿev) – Root: רעב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he was hungry”; Notes: Reflects unsatisfied craving despite action.
- וַיֹּ֥אכַל (va-yoʾkhal) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he shall eat”; Notes: Continued desperate action.
- עַל־שְׂמֹ֖אול (ʿal-semoʾl) – Root: שׂמאול; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “on the left”; Notes: Symbolizes action in the opposite direction.
- וְלֹ֣א שָׂבֵ֑עוּ (ve-lo savaʿu) – Root: שׂבע; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “but they were not satisfied”; Notes: Emphasizes futility and judgment.
- אִ֥ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Introduces individual behavior under extreme conditions.
- בְּשַׂר־זְרֹעֹ֖ו (besar-zeroʿo) – Root: בשר, זרע; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular with suffix; Translation: “the flesh of his arm”; Notes: Graphic image of self-cannibalism in famine.
- יֹאכֵֽלוּ (yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall eat”; Notes: Plural shift highlights communal suffering and collapse.