בִּשְׁנַת֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע שָׁנָ֗ה לְאָסָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה מָלַ֥ךְ זִמְרִ֛י שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים בְּתִרְצָ֑ה וְהָעָ֣ם חֹנִ֔ים עַֽל־גִּבְּתֹ֖ון אֲשֶׁ֥ר לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Yehuda, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirtsa, and the people were encamped against Gibbeton, which belonged to the Pelishtim.
Morphology
- בִּשְׁנַת֩ (bishnat) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Preposition + construct noun, feminine singular; Translation: “In the year of”; Notes: Formula for regnal dating.
- עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וָשֶׁ֜בַע (esrim va-sheva) – Root: עשרים (esrim), שבע (sheva); Form: Cardinal numbers; Translation: “twenty-seven”; Notes: Hebrew numerical construction.
- שָׁנָ֗ה (shanah) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Absolute noun, feminine singular; Translation: “year”; Notes: Completes the regnal date phrase.
- לְאָסָא֙ (le-ʾAsa) – Root: אסא (ʾAsa); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “of Asa”; Notes: Points to the reigning monarch of Yehudah.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “king”; Notes: Title of Asa.
- יְהוּדָ֔ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the southern kingdom.
- מָלַ֥ךְ (malakh) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “he reigned”; Notes: Main verb introducing Zimri’s kingship.
- זִמְרִ֛י (Zimri) – Root: זמרי (Zimri); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Zimri”; Notes: Subject of the verb, a short-reigned king of Yisraʾel.
- שִׁבְעַ֥ת (shivʿat) – Root: שבע (shevaʿ); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural; Translation: “seven [of]”; Notes: Indicates duration when paired with “days.”
- יָמִ֖ים (yamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “days”; Notes: Together with “seven” gives reign length.
- בְּתִרְצָ֑ה (be-Tirtsah) – Root: תרצה (Tirtsah); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Tirtsah”; Notes: Capital of the northern kingdom at the time.
- וְהָעָ֣ם (ve-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction + definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and the people”; Notes: Refers to the army or nation.
- חֹנִ֔ים (ḥonim) – Root: חנה (ḥanah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were encamped”; Notes: Continuous military action.
- עַֽל־גִּבְּתֹ֖ון (ʿal-Gibbeton) – Root: גבתון (Gibbeton); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Gibbeton”; Notes: A Levitical city under Philistine control.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause about Gibbeton.
- לַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים (la-Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁת (Peleshes); Form: Preposition + proper noun plural; Translation: “belonged to the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to the Philistines, traditional enemies of Yisraʾel.