וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֹותָם֙ בְּיַ֣ד אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָתָם֙ לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל לְעֹ֥וף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and their carcasses shall be for food to the bird of the heavens and to the beast of the earth.
Morphology
- וְנָתַתִּ֤י (venātattī) – Root: נ־ת־ן; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And I will give”; Notes: Vav-consecutive here expresses future intention based on preceding prophecy.
- אֹותָם֙ (ʾōtām) – Root: א־ת; Form: direct object marker with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the violators of the covenant.
- בְּיַ֣ד (beyad) – Root: י־ד; Form: construct noun with preposition; Translation: “into the hand of”; Notes: Used idiomatically for being delivered into someone’s control.
- אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם (ʾoyveihém) – Root: א־י־ב; Form: masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their enemies”; Notes: Object of the preposition “into the hand of.”
- וּבְיַ֖ד (uvyad) – Root: י־ד; Form: construct noun with conjunction and preposition; Translation: “and into the hand of”; Notes: Parallels the previous phrase with slight variation.
- מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י (mevaqqshéi) – Root: ב־ק־שׁ; Form: Piel participle masculine plural construct; Translation: “seekers of”; Notes: Construct participle modifying “their life.”
- נַפְשָׁ֑ם (nafshām) – Root: נ־פ־שׁ; Form: noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their life”; Notes: Typical biblical idiom “seek one’s life” = to try to kill.
- וְהָיְתָ֤ה (vehāyetāh) – Root: ה־י־ה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and it shall be”; Notes: Refers to the subject “carcass” (feminine).
- נִבְלָתָם֙ (nivlātām) – Root: נ־ב־ל; Form: noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their carcass”; Notes: Often used to express shameful or dishonored death.
- לְמַֽאֲכָ֔ל (lemaʾăkhāl) – Root: א־כ־ל; Form: noun masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “for food”; Notes: Purpose clause indicating the destiny of their carcasses.
- לְעֹ֥וף (leʿōf) – Root: ע־ו־ף; Form: noun masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “to the bird”; Notes: Construct form introducing the next element.
- הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (hashshāmayim) – Root: ש־מ־י; Form: dual with definite article; Translation: “of the heavens”; Notes: A standard phrase—“bird of the heavens.”
- וּלְבֶהֱמַ֥ת (ulevehemah) – Root: ב־ה־מ; Form: noun feminine singular with conjunction and preposition; Translation: “and to the beast of”; Notes: The conjunction links it with the previous phrase.
- הָאָֽרֶץ (hāʾāretz) – Root: א־ר־ץ; Form: noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: Final phrase of judgment imagery: divine retribution results in shameful exposure to wild animals.