וְהָיָה֩ שְׁאֵרִ֨ית יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּגֹּויִ֗ם בְּקֶ֨רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים כְּאַרְיֵה֙ בְּבַהֲמֹ֣ות יַ֔עַר כִּכְפִ֖יר בְּעֶדְרֵי צֹ֑אן אֲשֶׁ֧ר אִם עָבַ֛ר וְרָמַ֥ס וְטָרַ֖ף וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃
And the remnant of Yaʿaqov shall be among the nations in the midst of many peoples like a lion among the beasts of the forest like a young lion among the flocks of sheep which when it passes tramples and tears and there is no rescuer.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) — Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and shall be”; Notes: Introduces the prophetic description of Yaʿaqov’s remnant.
- שְׁאֵרִית (she’erit) — Root: שׁאר (sha’ar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “remnant”; Notes: Refers to the surviving portion of Yisraʾel preserved by YHWH.
- יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov) — Root: עקב (ʿaqav); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Represents the covenant nation.
- בַּגֹּויִם (ba-goyim) — Root: גוי (goy); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “among the nations”; Notes: Indicates dispersion among foreign peoples.
- בְּקֶרֶב (be-qerev) — Root: קרב (qerev); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Emphasizes embedded presence.
- עַמִּים (ʿammim) — Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “peoples”; Notes: Non-Israelite groups.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) — Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Highlights numerical greatness.
- כְּאַרְיֵה (ke-aryeh) — Root: אריה (aryeh); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a lion”; Notes: Symbol of strength and dominance.
- בְּבַהֲמֹות (be-vahamot) — Root: בהמה (behemah); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine plural; Translation: “among the beasts”; Notes: Wild animals of the forest.
- יַעַר (yaʿar) — Root: יער (yaʿar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “forest”; Notes: Stresses wild, untamed context.
- כִּכְפִיר (ki-khfir) — Root: כפיר (kfir); Form: Preposition כְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a young lion”; Notes: Suggests ferocity and power.
- בְּעֶדְרֵי (be-edrei) — Root: עדר (eder); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “among the flocks of”; Notes: Contrasts prey animals with the predator.
- צֹאן (tson) — Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun common singular/collective; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Represents defenselessness.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) — Root: אשׁר (’asher); Form: Relative particle; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the action pattern.
- אִם (im) — Root: אם (’im); Form: Particle; Translation: “when”; Notes: Conditional nuance: whenever it occurs.
- עָבַר (avar) — Root: עבר (avar); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “it passes”; Notes: Movement of a predator entering a flock.
- וְרָמַס (ve-ramas) — Root: רמס (ramas); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and tramples”; Notes: Violent crushing.
- וְטָרַף (ve-taraf) — Root: טרף (taraf); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “and tears”; Notes: Term for devouring prey.
- וְאֵין (ve-en) — Root: אין (’en); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and there is no”; Notes: Introduces absence.
- מַצִּיל (matsil) — Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Hiphil participle masculine singular; Translation: “rescuer”; Notes: No one is able to save from the remnant’s strength.