וַיַּשְׁכִּ֤מוּ אַשְׁדֹּודִים֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וְהִנֵּ֣ה דָגֹ֗ון נֹפֵ֤ל לְפָנָיו֙ אַ֔רְצָה לִפְנֵ֖י אֲרֹ֣ון יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־דָּגֹ֔ון וַיָּשִׁ֥בוּ אֹתֹ֖ו לִמְקֹומֹֽו׃
And the Ashdodim arose early the next morning, and behold, Dagon had fallen face down to the ground before the Ark of YHWH. And they took Dagon and set him back in his place.
Morphology
- וַיַּשְׁכִּ֤מוּ (va-yashkimu) – Root: שׁכם (shakam); Form: Hifil consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they arose early”; Notes: Denotes early morning action.
- אַשְׁדֹּודִים֙ (Ashdodim) – Root: אשדוד (Ashdod); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “the Ashdodites”; Notes: Inhabitants of Ashdod.
- מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת (mi-māḥorat) – Root: מחר (maḥar); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “the next morning”; Notes: Refers to the following day.
- וְהִנֵּ֣ה (ve-hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Marks a dramatic revelation.
- דָגֹ֗ון (Dagon) – Root: דגון (Dagon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dagon”; Notes: The Philistine deity.
- נֹפֵ֤ל (nofel) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “had fallen”; Notes: Describes the state of Dagon.
- לְפָנָיו֙ (le-fanav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with pronominal suffix; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- אַ֔רְצָה (artzah) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun, feminine singular with directional heh; Translation: “to the ground”; Notes: Indicates falling posture.
- לִפְנֵ֖י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Marks the Ark’s presence.
- אֲרֹ֣ון (ʾaron) – Root: ארן (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the Ark”; Notes: Refers to the Ark of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- וַיִּקְחוּ֙ (va-yiqḥu) – Root: לקח (laqah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they took”; Notes: Refers to action upon Dagon.
- אֶת־דָּגֹ֔ון (et-Dagon) – Root: דגון (Dagon); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “Dagon”; Notes: The subject being taken.
- וַיָּשִׁ֥בוּ (va-yashivu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hifil consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they set back”; Notes: Indicates restoration to position.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to Dagon.
- לִמְקֹומֹֽו׃ (limqomo) – Root: מקום (maqom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his place”; Notes: Indicates where Dagon was repositioned.