וַיִּבְחַר־לֹ֨ו שָׁא֜וּל שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֮ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיִּהְי֨וּ עִם־שָׁא֜וּל אַלְפַּ֗יִם בְּמִכְמָשׂ֙ וּבְהַ֣ר בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְאֶ֗לֶף הָיוּ֙ עִם־יֹ֣ונָתָ֔ן בְּגִבְעַ֖ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וְיֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם שִׁלַּ֖ח אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃
And Shaʾul chose for himself three thousand from Yisraʾel, and two thousand were with Shaʾul in Mikhmash and in the hill country of Beit-ʾel, and one thousand were with Yonatan in Giveʿa of Binyamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each to his tent.
Morphology
- וַיִּבְחַר־לֹ֨ו (vayyivḥar-lo) – Root: בחר (baḥar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And he chose for himself”; Notes: Indicates selection.
- שָׁא֜וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Name of the first king of Yisraʾel.
- שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֮ (sheloshet alafim) – Root: שלש (shalosh), אלף (elef); Form: Numeral, masculine construct + noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “three thousand”; Notes: Number of selected men.
- מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֒ (mi-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “from Yisraʾel”; Notes: Denotes origin.
- וַיִּהְי֨וּ (vayihyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they were”; Notes: Describes location.
- עִם־שָׁא֜וּל (ʿim-Shaʾul) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “with Shaʾul”; Notes: Indicates companionship.
- אַלְפַּ֗יִם (alpayim) – Root: אלף (elef); Form: Numeral, masculine dual absolute; Translation: “two thousand”; Notes: Specifies quantity.
- בְּמִכְמָשׂ֙ (be-Mikhmash) – Root: מכמש (Mikhmash); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “in Mikhmash”; Notes: Place name.
- וּבְהַ֣ר בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל (u-vehar Beit-ʾEl) – Root: הר (har), בית־אל (Beit-ʾEl); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular absolute + proper noun; Translation: “and in the hill country of Beit-ʾEl”; Notes: Geographical reference.
- וְאֶ֗לֶף (ve-elef) – Root: אלף (elef); Form: Numeral, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and one thousand”; Notes: Specifies quantity.
- הָיוּ֙ (hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were”; Notes: Indicates location.
- עִם־יֹ֣ונָתָ֔ן (ʿim-Yonatan) – Root: יונתן (Yonatan); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “with Yonatan”; Notes: Son of Shaʾul.
- בְּגִבְעַ֖ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ין (be-Givʿat Binyamin) – Root: גבע (givʿah), בנימין (Binyamin); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “in Givʿat Binyamin”; Notes: Place name.
- וְיֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם (ve-yeter haʿam) – Root: יתר (yatar), עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “and the rest of the people”; Notes: Refers to those not selected.
- שִׁלַּ֖ח (shillaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he sent away”; Notes: Intensive action.
- אִ֥ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “each man”; Notes: Individual reference.
- לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ (le-ohalav) – Root: אהל (ʾohel); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “to his tent”; Notes: Indicates their return home.