וְהָיָה֙ כְּעַרְעָ֣ר בָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יִרְאֶ֖ה כִּי־יָבֹ֣וא טֹ֑וב וְשָׁכַ֤ן חֲרֵרִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֶ֥רֶץ מְלֵחָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֵשֵֽׁב׃ ס
And he shall be like a juniper in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, and he shall dwell in parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he shall be”; Notes: Continues the curse from the previous verse with a metaphor.
- כְּעַרְעָ֣ר (ke-ʿarʿar) – Root: ערער; Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a juniper” or “desolate shrub”; Notes: Symbol of barrenness and isolation, uncertain species but metaphorically potent.
- בָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה (ba-ʿaravah) – Root: ערב; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the desert”; Notes: Refers to a dry, arid region—figurative of spiritual dryness.
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces negation of what the cursed person will experience.
- יִרְאֶ֖ה (yirʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he shall see”; Notes: Refers to perceiving or experiencing benefit.
- כִּי־יָבֹ֣וא (ki-yavo) – Root: בוא; Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “when it comes”; Notes: Refers to the arrival of something positive—good or blessing.
- טֹ֑וב (tov) – Root: טוב; Form: Noun or adjective masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: General term for prosperity, blessing, or favor.
- וְשָׁכַ֤ן (ve-shakhan) – Root: שכן; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he shall dwell”; Notes: Describes his permanent or habitual condition.
- חֲרֵרִים (ḥarerim) – Root: חרר; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “parched places”; Notes: Wastelands or ruined places, from the root meaning dryness or barrenness.
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר (ba-midbar) – Root: מדבר; Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Emphasizes the hostile and lifeless environment.
- אֶ֥רֶץ (ʾerets) – Root: ארץ; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “a land”; Notes: Begins a new description of the cursed person’s dwelling.
- מְלֵחָ֖ה (meleḥah) – Root: מלח; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “salt”; Notes: Saline land where nothing grows—used metaphorically for judgment or desolation.
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces a final negative clause.
- תֵשֵֽׁב (teshev) – Root: ישב; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “shall be inhabited”; Notes: Refers to the land—uninhabited, inhospitable, cursed.