וּ֠בְנֵיכֶם יִהְי֨וּ רֹעִ֤ים בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וְנָשְׂא֖וּ אֶת־זְנוּתֵיכֶ֑ם עַד־תֹּ֥ם פִּגְרֵיכֶ֖ם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
And your children will be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years and will bear your infidelity until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.
Morphology
- וּ֠בְנֵיכֶם (u-v’neikhem) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Conjunction + plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “And your children”; Notes: Refers to the descendants of the Israelites.
- יִהְי֨וּ (yihyu) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Will be”; Notes: Indicates future state or condition.
- רֹעִ֤ים (roʿim) – Root: רעה (r-ʿ-h); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “Shepherds”; Notes: Refers to the role of tending flocks.
- בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ (ba-midbar) – Root: מדבר (m-d-b-r); Form: Preposition + definite singular noun; Translation: “In the wilderness”; Notes: Indicates location.
- אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (ʾ-r-b-ʿ); Form: Masculine plural numeral; Translation: “Forty”; Notes: Specifies the duration in years.
- שָׁנָ֔ה (shanah) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Singular noun; Translation: “Years”; Notes: Complements the numeral “forty.”
- וְנָשְׂא֖וּ (v’nasʾu) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And will bear”; Notes: Refers to carrying or enduring something.
- אֶת־זְנוּתֵיכֶ֑ם (et-z’nuteikhem) – Root: זנה (z-n-h); Form: Direct object marker + plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Your infidelity”; Notes: Indicates the consequences of the Israelites’ disloyalty to YHWH.
- עַד־תֹּ֥ם (ʿad-tom) – Root: תם (t-m); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “Until the completion of”; Notes: Marks the duration until fulfillment.
- פִּגְרֵיכֶ֖ם (figrekhem) – Root: פגר (p-g-r); Form: Plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Your carcasses”; Notes: Refers to their dead bodies.
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֥ר (ba-midbar) – Root: מדבר (m-d-b-r); Form: Preposition + definite singular noun; Translation: “In the wilderness”; Notes: Reiterates the location of their demise.
- הַזֶּֽה (ha-zeh) – Root: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Specifies the particular wilderness.