אַ֗ף כִּ֡י לוּא֩ אָכֹ֨ל אָכַ֤ל הַיֹּום֙ הָעָ֔ם מִשְּׁלַ֥ל אֹיְבָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָצָ֑א כִּ֥י עַתָּ֛ה לֹֽא־רָבְתָ֥ה מַכָּ֖ה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
How much more if the people had eaten today from the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now, the slaughter would not have been so small among the Pelishtim.
Morphology
- אַ֗ף (ʾaf) – Root: אף (ʾaf); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Even”; Notes: Strengthens the following statement.
- כִּ֡י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a hypothetical scenario.
- לוּא֩ (lu) – Root: לו (lu); Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if only”; Notes: Expresses a hypothetical situation.
- אָכֹ֨ל אָכַ֤ל (ʾakhol akhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal infinitive absolute + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “had eaten”; Notes: Infinitive absolute emphasizes the verb.
- הַיֹּום֙ (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Specifies time.
- הָעָ֔ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- מִשְּׁלַ֥ל (mi-shlal) – Root: שלל (shlal); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “from the spoil of”; Notes: Indicates source.
- אֹיְבָ֖יו (ʾoyevav) – Root: אויב (ʾoyev); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his enemies”; Notes: Describes the ones from whom spoil was taken.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
- מָצָ֑א (matsa) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “they found”; Notes: Describes an action completed.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- עַתָּ֛ה (ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Refers to the present time.
- לֹֽא־רָבְתָ֥ה (lo-ravtah) – Root: רבה (ravah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with negative particle; Translation: “it would not have been great”; Notes: Expresses negation.
- מַכָּ֖ה (makkah) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “the slaughter”; Notes: Refers to the attack.
- בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ (ba-Pelishtim) – Root: פלשת (Peleshet); Form: Proper noun, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “among the Pelishtim”; Notes: Specifies the defeated enemy.