וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּצֵ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ לִקְרַ֨את פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים לַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ עַל־הָאֶ֣בֶן הָעֵ֔זֶר וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים חָנ֥וּ בַאֲפֵֽק׃
And the word of Shemuʾel came to all Yisraʾel. And Yisraʾel went out to meet the Pelishtim in battle, and they camped at ʾEven Ha-ʿezer, and the Pelishtim camped in ʾAfeq.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֥י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Introduces a narrative sequence.
- דְבַר־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל (devar-Shemuʾel) – Root: דבר (davar) + שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with proper noun; Translation: “the word of Shemuʾel”; Notes: Refers to Shemuʾel’s prophetic message.
- לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (le-kol-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “to all Yisraʾel”; Notes: Indicates the audience.
- וַיֵּצֵ֣א (va-yetse) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he/they went out”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel going to battle.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- לִקְרַ֨את (likrat) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Preposition with infinitive construct; Translation: “to meet”; Notes: Expresses the purpose of their movement.
- פְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשתי (Pelishti); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to the Philistines.
- לַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה (la-milḥamah) – Root: מלחמה (milḥamah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “for battle”; Notes: Specifies the context.
- וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ (va-yaḥanu) – Root: חנה (ḥanah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they camped”; Notes: Describes the positioning of Yisraʾel.
- עַל־הָאֶ֣בֶן הָעֵ֔זֶר (ʿal-ha-ʾEven Ha-ʿEzer) – Root: אבן (ʾeven) + עזר (ʿezer); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “at Ha-ʾEven Ha-ʿezer”; Notes: A place name, meaning “The Stone of Help.”
- וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים (u-Felishtim) – Root: פלשתי (Pelishti); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “And the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to their opponents.
- חָנ֥וּ (ḥanu) – Root: חנה (ḥanah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “camped”; Notes: Describes their positioning.
- בַאֲפֵֽק (ba-ʾAfeq) – Root: אפק (ʾAfeq); Form: Proper noun, with preposition; Translation: “in ʾAfeq”; Notes: Name of a Philistine stronghold.