וְאִם־בְּרִיאָ֞ה יִבְרָ֣א יְהוָ֗ה וּפָצְתָ֨ה הָאֲדָמָ֤ה אֶת־פִּ֨יהָ֙ וּבָלְעָ֤ה אֹתָם֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם וְיָרְד֥וּ חַיִּ֖ים שְׁאֹ֑לָה וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֧י נִֽאֲצ֛וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
But if YHWH creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them and all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into She’ol, then you will know that these men have despised YHWH.”
Morphology
- וְאִם (ve-im) – Root: Conditional particle; Translation: “But if”; Notes: Introduces an alternative possibility.
- בְּרִיאָ֞ה (beri’ah) – Root: ברא (b-r-ʾ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “A new thing”; Notes: Refers to an unprecedented act.
- יִבְרָ֣א (yivra) – Root: ברא (b-r-ʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Creates”; Notes: Indicates divine creation.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Singular; Translation: “The LORD”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- וּפָצְתָ֨ה (ufatzetah) – Root: פצה (p-tz-h); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And opens”; Notes: Refers to an act of the earth.
- הָאֲדָמָ֤ה (ha-adamah) – Root: אדמה (ʾ-d-m-h); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The earth”; Notes: Represents the ground.
- אֶת־פִּ֨יהָ֙ (et-piyha) – Root: פה (p-h); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “Its mouth”; Notes: Indicates the earth’s action.
- וּבָלְעָ֤ה (uvala’ah) – Root: בלע (b-l-ʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And swallows”; Notes: Describes an immediate act.
- אֹתָם֙ (otam) – Root: Pronoun; Form: Direct object pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Them”; Notes: Refers to Korah and his followers.
- וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָהֶ֔ם (ve-et kol-asher lahem) – Root: כל (k-l) + אשר (ʾ-sh-r); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular construct + relative pronoun + preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “And all that belongs to them”; Notes: Specifies their possessions.
- וְיָרְד֥וּ (veyardu) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And they go down”; Notes: Refers to descent into Sheol.
- חַיִּ֖ים (ḥayyim) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “Alive”; Notes: Emphasizes their state during descent.
- שְׁאֹ֑לָה (sheolah) – Root: שאול (sh-ʾ-l); Form: Noun feminine singular with directional heh; Translation: “To Sheol”; Notes: Refers to the realm of the dead.
- וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם (veyidaʿtem) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “Then you will know”; Notes: Indicates future recognition.
- כִּ֧י (ki) – Root: Conjunction; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- נִֽאֲצ֛וּ (niʾatsu) – Root: נאץ (n-ʾ-tz); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Have despised”; Notes: Expresses contempt or rejection.
- הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים (ha-anashim) – Root: אנש (ʾ-n-sh); Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “The men”; Notes: Refers to Korah’s group.
- הָאֵ֖לֶּה (ha-eleh) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “These”; Notes: Specifies the subject of judgment.
- אֶת־יְהוָֽה (et-YHWH) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Definite direct object marker + divine name; Translation: “The LORD”; Notes: Highlights the object of their contempt.