וְאִם־אַ֕יִן תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְתֹאכַ֛ל אֶת־בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶ֖ם וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית מִלֹּ֑וא וְתֵצֵ֨א אֵ֜שׁ מִבַּעֲלֵ֤י שְׁכֶם֙ וּמִבֵּ֣ית מִלֹּ֔וא וְתֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃
But if not, let fire come out from Avimelekh and consume the lords of Shekhem and the house of Millo, and let fire come out from the lords of Shekhem and from the house of Millo and consume Avimelekh.
Morphology
- וְאִם־ (veʾim) – Root: אם (ʾim); Form: Conditional particle with conjunction; Translation: “But if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- אַ֕יִן (ayin) – Root: אין (ʾayin); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Expresses negation.
- תֵּ֤צֵא (tetze) – Root: יצא (yatza); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “let come out”; Notes: Expresses a consequence.
- אֵשׁ֙ (ʾesh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Metaphorical for destruction.
- מֵאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ (meʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Abimelek”; Notes: Specifies the source.
- וְתֹאכַ֛ל (ve-toʾkhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and consume”; Notes: Depicts destruction.
- אֶת־בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶ֖ם (et-baʿalei Shekhem) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the lords of Shekhem”; Notes: Refers to city leaders.
- וְאֶת־בֵּ֣ית מִלֹּ֑וא (ve-et-beit Millo) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “and the house of Millo”; Notes: Refers to a ruling faction.
- וְתֵצֵ֨א (ve-tetze) – Root: יצא (yatza); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and let come out”; Notes: Parallel construction.
- אֵ֜שׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- מִבַּעֲלֵ֤י שְׁכֶם֙ (mi-baʿalei Shekhem) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with preposition; Translation: “from the lords of Shekhem”; Notes: Specifies origin.
- וּמִבֵּ֣ית מִלֹּ֔וא (u-mi-beit Millo) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “and from the house of Millo”; Notes: Mirroring the first clause.
- וְתֹאכַ֖ל (ve-toʾkhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and consume”; Notes: Continues the prophecy.
- אֶת־אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ (et-ʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun, direct object; Translation: “Abimelek”; Notes: Final subject of the destruction.