וְעַבְדֵ֨י מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֜ם אָמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָרִים֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֖ן חָזְק֣וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְאוּלָ֗ם נִלָּחֵ֤ם אִתָּם֙ בַּמִּישֹׁ֔ור אִם־לֹ֥א נֶחֱזַ֖ק מֵהֶֽם׃
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But indeed, let us fight them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Morphology
- וְעַבְדֵי (ve-ʿavdei) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “And the servants of”; Notes: Refers to the advisors or officers of Ben-Hadad.
- מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם (melekh-Aram) – Root: מלך (melekh) + ארם (Aram); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “the king of Aram”; Notes: Specifies whose servants are speaking.
- אָמְרוּ (amru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they said”; Notes: Beginning of the servants’ counsel to Ben-Hadad.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל (el) + suffix; Form: Preposition אֶל + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Ben-Hadad as the recipient.
- אֱלֹהֵי (elohei) – Root: אלה (ʾelohim); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “gods of”; Notes: Introduces their theological misunderstanding.
- הָרִים (ha-harim) – Root: הר (har); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the hills”; Notes: Refers to mountainous terrain where Yisraʾel fought.
- אֱלֹהֵיהֶם (eloheihem) – Root: אלה (ʾelohim); Form: Noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their gods”; Notes: The Arameans mistakenly think Yisraʾel’s strength is regional.
- עַל־כֵּן (ʿal-ken) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Preposition עַל + demonstrative adverb; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Provides the reason for the previous defeat.
- חָזְקוּ (ḥazqu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they were stronger”; Notes: Describes Yisraʾel’s perceived advantage in the hills.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmenu) – Root: מן (min) + suffix; Form: Preposition מִן + first person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “than we”; Notes: Comparative structure emphasizing weakness.
- וְאוּלָם (ve-ulam) – Root: אולם (ulam); Form: Conjunction וְ + adverb; Translation: “but indeed”; Notes: Marks a strong contrast and proposed new strategy.
- נִלָּחֵם (nillachem) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “let us fight”; Notes: Suggests a plan for open confrontation on different terrain.
- אִתָּם (ittam) – Root: את (et); Form: Preposition עִם with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with them”; Notes: Refers to fighting Yisraʾel again.
- בַּמִּישׁוֹר (ba-mishor) – Root: מישור (mishor); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the plain”; Notes: Flat land seen as advantageous to Aram’s chariots and cavalry.
- אִם־לֹא (im-lo) – Root: אם (im) + לא (lo); Form: Conditional particle + negative particle; Translation: “surely”; Notes: Used idiomatically here to express strong assurance.
- נֶחֱזַק (neḥezaq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Nifal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we shall be stronger”; Notes: Their confidence that terrain change will guarantee victory.
- מֵהֶם (mehem) – Root: מן (min) + suffix; Form: Preposition מִן with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “than they”; Notes: Marks the intended superiority over Yisraʾel.