וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֱלִיאָב֙ אָחִ֣יו הַגָּדֹ֔ול בְּדַבְּרֹ֖ו אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיִּֽחַר־אַף֩ אֱלִיאָ֨ב בְּדָוִ֜ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה יָרַ֗דְתָּ וְעַל־מִ֨י נָטַ֜שְׁתָּ מְעַ֨ט הַצֹּ֤אן הָהֵ֨נָּה֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲנִ֧י יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֶת־זְדֹנְךָ֗ וְאֵת֙ רֹ֣עַ לְבָבֶ֔ךָ כִּ֗י לְמַ֛עַן רְאֹ֥ות הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה יָרָֽדְתָּ׃
And Eliʾav, his eldest brother, heard him speaking to the men, and Eliʾav’s anger burned against Dawid, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your arrogance and the wickedness of your heart, for you have come down only to see the battle.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע (vayyishmaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he heard”; Notes: Indicates Eliʾav overheard Dawid’s conversation.
- אֱלִיאָב֙ (Eliʾav) – Root: אלי (ʾeli) + אב (ʾav); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Eliʾav”; Notes: Dawid’s eldest brother.
- אָחִ֣יו (aḥiv) – Root: אח (ʾaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his brother”; Notes: Refers to Eliʾav’s relationship with Dawid.
- הַגָּדֹ֔ול (haggadol) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the eldest”; Notes: Specifies Eliʾav’s seniority.
- בְּדַבְּרֹ֖ו (bedabbero) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “as he spoke”; Notes: Refers to Dawid speaking.
- אֶל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים (ʾel-haʾanashim) – Root: אנש (ʾenosh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “to the men”; Notes: The soldiers around Dawid.
- וַיִּֽחַר־אַף֩ (vayyiḥar-ʾaf) – Root: חרה (ḥarah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “his anger burned”; Notes: Expresses strong indignation.
- אֱלִיאָ֨ב (Eliʾav) – Root: אלי (ʾeli) + אב (ʾav); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Eliʾav”; Notes: Repeated to clarify the subject.
- בְּדָוִ֜ד (be-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “against Dawid”; Notes: Indicates the target of Eliʾav’s anger.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces Eliʾav’s rebuke.
- לָמָּה־זֶּ֣ה (lammah-zeh) – Root: מה (mah) + זה (zeh); Form: Interrogative pronoun + demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “Why is this”; Notes: A rhetorical challenge.
- יָרַ֗דְתָּ (yaradta) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “have you come down”; Notes: Accuses Dawid of improper intent.
- וְעַל־מִ֨י (veʿal-mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun with preposition; Translation: “And upon whom”; Notes: Eliʾav questions Dawid’s responsibility.
- נָטַ֜שְׁתָּ (natahshta) – Root: נטש (natash); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “have you left”; Notes: Suggests abandonment.
- מְעַ֨ט (meʿat) – Root: מעט (meʿat); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “few”; Notes: Diminishes Dawid’s role.
- הַצֹּ֤אן (ha-tson) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the sheep”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s responsibility.
- הָהֵ֨נָּה (ha-hennah) – Root: הן (hen); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the sheep.
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר (ba-midbar) – Root: מדבר (midbar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Emphasizes irresponsibility.
- אֲנִ֧י (ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes Eliʾav’s knowledge.
- יָדַ֣עְתִּי (yadaʿti) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I know”; Notes: Asserts certainty.
- אֶת־זְדֹנְךָ֗ (ʾet-zedonkha) – Root: זדן (zedon); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your arrogance”; Notes: Accuses Dawid of pride.
- כִּ֗י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Provides reasoning.
- לְמַ֛עַן (lemaʿan) – Root: מען (maʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “in order to”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- רְאֹ֥ות (reʾot) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to see”; Notes: Dawid’s supposed motivation.
- הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (ha-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the battle”; Notes: Refers to the ongoing conflict with the Pelishtim.
- יָרָֽדְתָּ (yaradta) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have come down”; Notes: Eliʾav accuses Dawid of coming merely as a spectator.