וְנִבְחַ֥ר מָ֨וֶת֙ מֵֽחַיִּ֔ים לְכֹ֗ל הַשְּׁאֵרִית֙ הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֔ים מִן־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֥ה הָֽרָעָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את בְּכָל־הַמְּקֹמֹ֤ות הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣ים שָׁ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות׃ ס
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the remnant who remain of this evil family, in all the places where I have driven them,” declares YHWH of Hosts.
Morphology
- וְנִבְחַ֥ר (ve-nivḥar) – Root: בחר; Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav; Translation: “and shall be chosen”; Notes: Passive form; subject is “death.”
- מָ֨וֶת (mavet) – Root: מות; Form: Masculine singular noun; Translation: “death”; Notes: The subject of the verb, in contrast to “life.”
- מֵֽחַיִּ֔ים (me-ḥayyim) – Root: חי; Form: Preposition + masculine plural noun; Translation: “rather than life”; Notes: Comparative expression indicating preference for death.
- לְכֹ֗ל (le-khol) – Root: כל; Form: Preposition + totality noun; Translation: “by all”; Notes: Introduces the group making this choice.
- הַשְּׁאֵרִית֙ (ha-sheʾerit) – Root: שׁאר; Form: Definite feminine singular noun; Translation: “the remnant”; Notes: Survivors of judgment or exile.
- הַנִּשְׁאָרִ֔ים (ha-nishʾarim) – Root: שׁאר; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “who remain”; Notes: Participial clause modifying “the remnant.”
- מִן־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָ֥ה (min-ha-mishpaḥah) – Root: שׁפחה; Form: Preposition + definite feminine singular noun; Translation: “from the family”; Notes: Introduces source or origin.
- הָֽרָעָ֖ה (ha-raʿah) – Root: רעע; Form: Definite feminine singular adjective; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Qualifies the family as wicked.
- הַזֹּ֑את (ha-zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Further specifies the evil family being referred to.
- בְּכָל־הַמְּקֹמֹ֤ות (be-khol ha-meqomot) – Root: קום; Form: Preposition + totality + definite plural noun; Translation: “in all the places”; Notes: Geographic extent of dispersion.
- הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ (ha-nishʾarim) – Root: שׁאר; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural; Translation: “who remain”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes surviving remnant.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “where”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- הִדַּחְתִּ֣ים (hiddakhtim) – Root: דחח; Form: Hifil perfect 1st person common singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “I have driven them”; Notes: Refers to divine exile or scattering.
- שָׁ֔ם (sham) – Root: שׁם; Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Locative reference to the places of exile.
- נְאֻ֖ם (neʾum) – Root: נאם; Form: Construct noun; Translation: “declares”; Notes: Introduces the divine speaker.
- יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֹֽות (YHWH Tsevaʾot) – Root: הוה, צבא; Form: Proper name + construct plural noun; Translation: “YHWH of hosts”; Notes: Divine title emphasizing power and command over heavenly armies.