רַ֣ק הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וּשְׁלַל֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔יא בָּזְז֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃
(Joshua 8:27)
Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel plundered for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He commanded Joshua.
Word-by-Word Explanation
- רַק — “only.” Limiting particle, emphasizing restriction.
- הַבְּהֵמָה — “the livestock.” Definite article + בְּהֵמָה (“beast, animal, cattle”).
- וּשְׁלַל — “and the spoil.” Conjunction ו + noun שָׁלָל (“spoil, plunder”).
- הָעִיר — “of the city.” Definite article + עִיר (“city”).
- הַהִיא — “that.” Demonstrative pronoun modifying “city.”
- בָּזְזוּ — “they plundered.” Qal perfect 3rd person plural from בָּזַז (“to plunder, seize as spoil”).
- לָהֶם — “for themselves.” Preposition ל (“to, for”) + suffix -הֶם (“them”).
- יִשְׂרָאֵל — “Israel.” Subject of the verb, here the collective people.
- כִּדְבַר — “according to the word.” Preposition כִּ (“according to, as”) + noun דָּבָר (“word, command”).
- יְהוָה — “the LORD.” Divine name, subject of the command.
- אֲשֶׁר — “which.” Relative pronoun, introducing a subordinate clause.
- צִוָּה — “He commanded.” Piel perfect 3rd masculine singular from צָוָה (“to command, order”).
- אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ — “Joshua.” Direct object marker + personal name.
Word Order and Sentence Flow
The verse divides into two parts:
- רַק הַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁלַל הָעִיר הַהִיא בָּזְזוּ לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל — “Only the livestock and spoil of that city Israel plundered for themselves.”
- כִּדְבַר יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ — “According to the word of the LORD which He commanded Joshua.”
Notice how Hebrew emphasizes the restriction with רַק and then balances action (plundering) with divine authority (command of the LORD).
Structure Chart
| Restriction | Action | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| רַק הַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁלַל הָעִיר only the livestock and spoil |
בָּזְזוּ לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל Israel plundered for themselves |
כִּדְבַר יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ as the LORD commanded Joshua |
How the Sentence Works
- Restriction marker: רַק limits the scope — only livestock and spoil, nothing else.
- Perfect verb: בָּזְזוּ shows completed action (“they plundered”).
- Possession: לָהֶם means “for themselves,” marking the benefit Israel received.
- Divine command: The plundering is framed as obedience, not rebellion — “according to the word of the LORD.”
Hebrew Unlocked!
In this verse you learned how Hebrew highlights restriction with רַק, how verbs in the perfect tense recount completed action, and how obedience is framed through the formula “as the LORD commanded.” What looks like a simple record of spoils becomes a lesson in grammar and covenant loyalty, all wrapped into one Hebrew sentence.
“Every clause in Hebrew fits together like stones in a wall — firm, precise, and meaningful.”
