Deuteronomy 20:12:7Deut.20.12.W7TAB
וְצַרְתָּ֖
vetsarta
“then you shall besiege”
- Transliteration
- ve-tsar-TA
- Extended
- veh-tsar-TAH
- IPA
- /və.tsarˈtaː/
Meaning by language
- English
- then you shall besiege
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Vav | v as in vine; marks long ō / ū | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Tsade | ts as in cats | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Resh | r guttural, like the French r | |
| Sheva | silent sheva — no sound; closes the syllable | |
| Tav | t as in top | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
ve-tsar-TA
- clause
ve-tsar-TA a-LE-ha
- sentence
ve-IM-LO tash-LEEM im-MAKH ve-as-TA im-KHA mil-kha-MAH ve-tsar-TA a-LE-ha
Exegesis
The vav-consecutive in vetsarta {וְצַרְתָּ | wə-ṣar·ṭā} marks the apodosis, shifting from potential diplomacy to the command of siege.
Root and etymology
Rootts-r-r
“to besiege; to encircle”
In context — Deuteronomy 20:12
But if she does not make peace with you and instead wages war against you, then you shall besiege her.
About this coordinate
Deuteronomy 20:12:7 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 7 of Deuteronomy 20:12, so the Hebrew word וְצַרְתָּ֖ (vetsarta) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written Deut.20.12.W7, which extends further down to each syllable (Deut.20.12.W7.S1) and character.