וַיָּבֹ֣א הָעָם֮ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ זִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לָ֣מָּה נְגָפָ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה הַיֹּ֖ום לִפְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים נִקְחָ֧ה אֵלֵ֣ינוּ מִשִּׁלֹ֗ה אֶת־אֲרֹון֙ בְּרִ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וְיָבֹ֣א בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ מִכַּ֥ף אֹיְבֵֽינוּ׃
And the people came to the camp, and the elders of Yisraʾel said, “Why has YHWH struck us today before the Pelishtim? Let us take for ourselves from Shilo the Ark of the Covenant of YHWH, so that it may come among us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹ֣א (va-yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he/they came”; Notes: Refers to the people arriving at the camp.
- הָעָם֮ (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite army.
- אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ (el-ha-maḥaneh) – Root: מחנה (maḥaneh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “to the camp”; Notes: Indicates the destination.
- וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (va-yomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- זִקְנֵ֣י (ziqnei) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the elders of”; Notes: Describes the speakers.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies the nation.
- לָ֣מָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- נְגָפָ֧נוּ (negafanu) – Root: נגף (nagaf); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “has He struck us”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s action.
- יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- הַיֹּ֖ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Specifies time.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates subjugation.
- פְלִשְׁתִּ֑ים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשתי (Pelishti); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to their enemies.
- נִקְחָ֧ה (niqḥah) – Root: לקח (laqah); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “Let us take”; Notes: Expresses intent.
- אֵלֵ֣ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- מִשִּׁלֹ֗ה (mi-Shiloh) – Root: שִׁלֹה (Shiloh); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Shiloh”; Notes: Indicates the location.
- אֶת־אֲרֹון֙ (et-ʾAron) – Root: ארון (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular with direct object marker; Translation: “the Ark”; Notes: Direct object.
- בְּרִ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה (berit YHWH) – Root: ברית (berit) + יהוה (YHWH); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “of the Covenant of YHWH”; Notes: Describes the Ark.
- וְיָבֹ֣א (ve-yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “so that it may come”; Notes: Expresses consequence.
- בְקִרְבֵּ֔נוּ (be-qirbenu) – Root: קרב (qarav); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “among us”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
- וְיֹשִׁעֵ֖נוּ (ve-yoshiʿenu) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “and it will save us”; Notes: Expresses expectation of deliverance.
- מִכַּ֥ף (mi-kaf) – Root: כף (kaf); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “from the hand of”; Notes: Denotes power or control.
- אֹיְבֵֽינוּ (ʾoyveinu) – Root: אויב (ʾoyev); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our enemies”; Notes: Identifies the adversaries.