וְהָיָ֤ה בְכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה פִּֽי־שְׁנַ֣יִם בָּ֔הּ יִכָּרְת֖וּ יִגְוָ֑עוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֖ית יִוָּ֥תֶר בָּֽהּ׃
And it shall be in all the land,” declares YHWH, “two parts in it shall be cut off and shall perish, and the third shall be left in it.
Morphology
- וְהָיָה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular (prophetic perfect with future sense); Translation: “and it shall be”; Notes: Introduces a solemn future declaration with certainty.
- בְכָל־ (ve-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “in all of”; Notes: Expresses totality within the specified domain.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-ʾarets) – Root: ארץ (ʾarets); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers to the covenant land as the scope of judgment.
- נְאֻם־ (neʾum) – Root: נאם (naʾam); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute (construct in formula); Translation: “utterance”; Notes: Prophetic formula marking a direct divine proclamation.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Identifies the speaker as the covenant God.
- פִּי־ (pi) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “portion”; Notes: Idiomatic use meaning a share or fraction.
- שְׁנַיִם (shenayim) – Root: שׁנים (shenayim); Form: Cardinal numeral masculine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the numerical division of the population.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: ב (bet); Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Refers back to the land as the location of the action.
- יִכָּרְתוּ (yikkartu) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall be cut off”; Notes: Passive form emphasizing the outcome of judgment.
- יִגְוָעוּ (yigvaʿu) – Root: גוע (gavaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall perish”; Notes: Describes death following the cutting off.
- וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית (ve-ha-shelishit) – Root: שלשׁ (shalosh); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite ordinal numeral feminine singular; Translation: “and the third”; Notes: Marks the remaining portion after judgment.
- יִוָּתֵר (yivvater) – Root: יתר (yatar); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall be left”; Notes: Indicates survival by divine allowance.
- בָּהּ (bah) – Root: ב (bet); Form: Preposition בְּ + suffix 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “in it”; Notes: Reiterates that the remnant remains within the land.