וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה יַ֛עַן שִׁלַּ֥חְתָּ אֶת־אִישׁ־חֶרְמִ֖י מִיָּ֑ד וְהָיְתָ֤ה נַפְשְׁךָ֙ תַּ֣חַת נַפְשֹׁ֔ו וְעַמְּךָ֖ תַּ֥חַת עַמֹּֽו׃
And he said to him, “Thus says YHWH, ‘Because you have let go the man of my ban from your hand, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to the prophet addressing the king.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition אֶל + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: The king is the recipient of the message.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces direct divine speech.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Standard formula for prophetic announcements.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: יען (yaʿan); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for judgment.
- שִׁלַּחְתָּ (shillaḥta) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have let go”; Notes: Denotes active release or dismissal.
- אֶת־אִישׁ־חֶרְמִי (et-ish-ḥermi) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish) + חרם (ḥerem); Form: Accusative particle + noun masculine singular + construct form; Translation: “the man of my ban”; Notes: Refers to a man designated for destruction under divine curse.
- מִיָּד (mi-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from (your) hand”; Notes: Indicates escape from the king’s control.
- וְהָיְתָה (ve-hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “therefore it shall be”; Notes: Introduction of the consequence.
- נַפְשְׁךָ (nafshekha) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your life”; Notes: Refers to the king’s own life.
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition; Translation: “instead of”; Notes: Expresses substitution.
- נַפְשׁוֹ (nafsho) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his life”; Notes: Refers to the life of the man who was supposed to be executed.
- וְעַמְּךָ (ve-ʿamkha) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your people”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel under the king’s rule.
- תַּחַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition; Translation: “instead of”; Notes: Parallel substitution regarding the people.
- עַמּוֹ (ammo) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his people”; Notes: Refers to the people associated with the man under ḥerem.