בְּמִסְפַּ֨ר הַיָּמִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּרְתֶּ֣ם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ֮ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹום֒ יֹ֣ום לַשָּׁנָ֞ה יֹ֣ום לַשָּׁנָ֗ה תִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־עֲוֹנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־תְּנוּאָתִֽי׃
According to the number of the days that you spied out the land, forty days, a day for each year, you will bear your iniquities forty years, and you will know My opposition.’
Morphology
- בְּמִסְפַּ֨ר (b’mispar) – Root: ספר (s-p-r); Form: Preposition + singular noun; Translation: “According to the number of”; Notes: Indicates the basis for calculation.
- הַיָּמִ֜ים (ha-yamim) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “The days”; Notes: Refers to the period of spying.
- אֲשֶׁר־תַּרְתֶּ֣ם (asher-tartem) – Root: תרה (t-r-h); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “That you spied out”; Notes: Describes the action undertaken by the Israelites.
- אֶת־הָאָרֶץ֮ (et-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts); Form: Direct object marker + definite singular noun; Translation: “The land”; Notes: Refers to the Promised Land.
- אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (ʾ-r-b-ʿ); Form: Masculine plural numeral; Translation: “Forty”; Notes: Specifies the duration.
- יֹום֒ (yom) – Root: יום (y-w-m); Form: Singular noun; Translation: “Days”; Notes: Complements the numeral.
- יֹ֣ום לַשָּׁנָ֞ה (yom la-shanah) – Root: יום (y-w-m) + שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Singular noun + preposition + singular noun; Translation: “A day for each year”; Notes: Explains the principle of equivalence.
- תִּשְׂאוּ֙ (tis’u) – Root: נשא (n-s-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You will bear”; Notes: Refers to enduring consequences.
- אֶת־עֲוֹנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם (et-ʿavonoteikhem) – Root: עון (ʿ-v-n); Form: Direct object marker + plural noun with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Your iniquities”; Notes: Represents the guilt or sin of the Israelites.
- אַרְבָּעִ֖ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (ʾ-r-b-ʿ); Form: Masculine plural numeral; Translation: “Forty”; Notes: Indicates the length of time.
- שָׁנָ֑ה (shanah) – Root: שנה (sh-n-h); Form: Singular noun; Translation: “Years”; Notes: Specifies the duration of bearing iniquity.
- וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם (v’yidaʿtem) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you will know”; Notes: Refers to experiential knowledge.
- אֶת־תְּנוּאָתִֽי (et-tenu’ati) – Root: תנא (t-n-ʾ); Form: Direct object marker + singular noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My opposition”; Notes: Expresses YHWH’s rejection or disfavor.