וַיַּ֨עַן הַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜ר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר נָ֤ס יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְגַ֛ם מַגֵּפָ֥ה גְדֹולָ֖ה הָיְתָ֣ה בָעָ֑ם וְגַם־שְׁנֵ֨י בָנֶ֜יךָ מֵ֗תוּ חָפְנִי֙ וּפִ֣ינְחָ֔ס וַאֲרֹ֥ון הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים נִלְקָֽחָה׃ פ
And the messenger answered and said, “Yisraʾel has fled before the Pelishtim, and also there was a great slaughter among the people. And also your two sons, Ḥofni and Pineḥas, have died, and the Ark of God has been taken.”
Morphology
- וַיַּ֨עַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Introduces the response.
- הַֽמְבַשֵּׂ֜ר (ha-mevaser) – Root: בשר (basar); Form: Piel participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the messenger”; Notes: Refers to the bearer of news.
- וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- נָ֤ס (nas) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has fled”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel’s retreat.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פני (panim); Form: Preposition with noun, construct form; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates fleeing from the enemy.
- פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁת (Pelishet); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to the Philistines.
- וְגַ֛ם (ve-gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Adds additional details.
- מַגֵּפָ֥ה (magefah) – Root: נגף (nagaf); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a plague/slaughter”; Notes: Refers to a severe defeat.
- גְדֹולָ֖ה (gedolah) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “great”; Notes: Describes the severity of the defeat.
- הָיְתָ֣ה (hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Refers to the event.
- בָעָ֑ם (ba-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “among the people”; Notes: Specifies where the destruction occurred.
- וְגַם־שְׁנֵ֨י (ve-gam-shenei) – Root: שנים (shanim); Form: Number, masculine dual construct; Translation: “and also your two”; Notes: Introduces the death of his sons.
- בָנֶ֜יךָ (vanecha) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your sons”; Notes: Refers to Ḥofni and Pinḥas.
- מֵ֗תוּ (metu) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “have died”; Notes: States their fate.
- חָפְנִי֙ (Ḥofni) – Root: חפני (Ḥofni); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “Ḥofni”; Notes: Name of one son.
- וּפִ֣ינְחָ֔ס (u-Pinḥas) – Root: פינחס (Pinḥas); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “Pinḥas”; Notes: Name of the other son.
- וַאֲרֹ֥ון (va-ʾaron) – Root: ארן (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and the Ark”; Notes: Refers to the Ark of God.
- הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (ha-Elohim) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “of God”; Notes: Indicates divine ownership.
- נִלְקָֽחָה (nilqahah) – Root: לקח (laqah); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has been taken”; Notes: Refers to the capture of the Ark.