וַיִּקַּח֩ צֶ֨מֶד בָּקָ֜ר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים לֵאמֹר֒ אֲשֶׁר֩ אֵינֶ֨נּוּ יֹצֵ֜א אַחֲרֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ וְאַחַ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לִבְקָרֹ֑ו וַיִּפֹּ֤ל פַּֽחַד־יְהוָה֙ עַל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד׃
And he took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces, and he sent them throughout all the territory of Yisraʾel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Shaʾul and after Shemuʾel, thus shall it be done to his oxen!” And the fear of YHWH fell upon the people, and they went out as one man.
Morphology
- וַיִּקַּח֩ (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Indicates action.
- צֶ֨מֶד (tsemed) – Root: צמד (tsemed); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a pair”; Notes: Refers to a yoke of animals.
- בָּקָ֜ר (bakar) – Root: בקר (bakar); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “oxen”; Notes: Indicates livestock.
- וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ (va-yanattaḥehu) – Root: נתח (nataḥ); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he cut it into pieces”; Notes: Expresses violent action.
- וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח (va-yishallaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he sent”; Notes: Emphasizes dispatching.
- בְּכָל־גְּב֣וּל (be-khol-gevul) – Root: גבול (gevul); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “throughout all the territory of”; Notes: Indicates extent.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation.
- בְּיַ֣ד (be-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “by the hand of”; Notes: Indicates agency.
- הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים (ha-malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “the messengers”; Notes: Refers to those carrying the message.
- לֵאמֹר֒ (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces speech.
- אֲשֶׁר֩ (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whoever”; Notes: Introduces conditional clause.
- אֵינֶ֨נּוּ (eineno) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Negative existential + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “does not”; Notes: Expresses negation.
- יֹצֵ֜א (yotsei) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “come out”; Notes: Describes action.
- אַחֲרֵ֤י (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates following.
- שָׁאוּל֙ (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Refers to King Shaʾul.
- וְאַחַ֣ר (ve-aḥar) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “and after”; Notes: Parallel structure.
- שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shemuʾel”; Notes: Refers to the prophet.
- כֹּ֥ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Introduces consequence.
- יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה (yeʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall it be done”; Notes: Passive voice.
- לִבְקָרֹ֑ו (livqaro) – Root: בקר (baqar); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his oxen”; Notes: Object of punishment.
- וַיִּפֹּ֤ל (va-yippol) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it fell”; Notes: Describes effect.
- פַּֽחַד־יְהוָה֙ (paḥad-YHWH) – Root: פחד (paḥad); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the fear of YHWH”; Notes: Expresses divine influence.
- עַל־הָעָ֔ם (ʿal-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “upon the people”; Notes: Refers to all Yisraʾel.
- וַיֵּצְא֖וּ (va-yetseʾu) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they went out”; Notes: Describes obedience.
- כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד (keʾish eḥad) – Root: איש (ʾish) + אחד (eḥad); Form: Noun + adjective; Translation: “as one man”; Notes: Expresses unity.