וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ הַכֹּהֵ֥ן אֶֽת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֮ בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת הָאָלָה֒ וְאָמַ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה יִתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֥ה אֹותָ֛ךְ לְאָלָ֥ה וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה בְּתֹ֣וךְ עַמֵּ֑ךְ בְּתֵ֨ת יְהוָ֤ה אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ נֹפֶ֔לֶת וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ צָבָֽה׃
then the priest shall make the woman swear with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say to the woman, “May YHWH make you a curse and an oath among your people, when YHWH makes your thigh waste away and your belly swell.
Morphology
- וְהִשְׁבִּ֨יעַ (ve-hishbia) – Root: שבע (sh-b-ʿ); Form: Hiphil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “Then he shall make swear”; Notes: Refers to the priest administering the oath.
- הַכֹּהֵ֥ן (ha-kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The priest”; Notes: Indicates the officiating priest.
- אֶֽת־הָֽאִשָּׁה֮ (et-ha’ishah) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The woman”; Notes: Refers to the accused woman.
- בִּשְׁבֻעַ֣ת (bi-shvu’at) – Root: שבועה (sh-v-ʿ-h); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “With an oath of”; Notes: Indicates the nature of the oath.
- הָאָלָה֒ (ha’alah) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The curse”; Notes: A solemn invocation of divine punishment.
- וְאָמַ֤ר (ve-amar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he shall say”; Notes: Refers to the priest’s proclamation.
- הַכֹּהֵן֙ (ha-kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The priest”; Notes: Indicates the officiating priest.
- לָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה (la’ishah) – Root: אשה (ʾ-sh-h); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “To the woman”; Notes: Addresses the accused woman directly.
- יִתֵּ֨ן (yitten) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “May He give”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s act of judgment.
- יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֹותָ֛ךְ (otakh) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Direct object marker with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “You”; Notes: Refers to the woman being addressed.
- לְאָלָ֥ה (le’alah) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “As a curse”; Notes: Indicates the consequence of guilt.
- וְלִשְׁבֻעָ֖ה (ve-lishvu’ah) – Root: שבועה (sh-v-ʿ-h); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And as an oath”; Notes: Refers to the binding nature of the curse.
- בְּתֹ֣וךְ (be-tokh) – Root: תוך (t-w-k); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “Among”; Notes: Refers to her community.
- עַמֵּ֑ךְ (ammekh) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun masculine singular construct with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “Your people”; Notes: Indicates her social context.
- בְּתֵ֨ת (be-tet) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “When He makes”; Notes: Refers to the conditional outcome.
- יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֶת־יְרֵכֵךְ֙ (et-yereikhikh) – Root: ירך (y-r-k); Form: Direct object marker + noun feminine singular construct with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “Your thigh”; Notes: Refers to physical affliction.
- נֹפֶ֔לֶת (nofelet) – Root: נפל (n-p-l); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “Waste away”; Notes: Indicates a curse-related affliction.
- וְאֶת־בִּטְנֵ֖ךְ (ve-et-bitneikh) – Root: בטן (b-t-n); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + noun feminine singular construct with 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “And your belly”; Notes: Indicates the belly being affected as part of the curse.
- צָבָֽה (tsavah) – Root: צבה (ts-v-h); Form: Qal participle feminine singular; Translation: “Swelling”; Notes: Describes the swelling of the belly as a visible consequence of the curse.