וַיְהִ֞י אַחֲרֵ֣י הֵסַ֣בּוּ אֹתֹ֗ו וַתְּהִ֨י יַד־יְהוָ֤ה בָּעִיר֙ מְהוּמָה֙ גְּדֹולָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֔יר מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּדֹ֑ול וַיִּשָּׂתְר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם עפלים׃
And it was after they had brought it around, that the hand of YHWH was upon the city with a very great panic, and He struck the men of the city, from small to great, and tumors broke out on them.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֞י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event.
- אַחֲרֵ֣י (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates sequence.
- הֵסַ֣בּוּ (hesabbu) – Root: סבב (savav); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they brought around”; Notes: Describes the action of relocating the Ark.
- אֹתֹ֗ו (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object pronoun 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the Ark.
- וַתְּהִ֨י (va-tehi) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and there was”; Notes: Introduces the consequence.
- יַד־יְהוָ֤ה (yad-YHWH) – Root: יד (yad) + יהוה (YHWH); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “the hand of YHWH”; Notes: Symbolizes divine power or judgment.
- בָּעִיר֙ (baʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “upon the city”; Notes: Refers to the Philistine city affected.
- מְהוּמָה֙ (mehumah) – Root: המם (hamam); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “panic”; Notes: Describes chaos or terror.
- גְּדֹולָ֣ה (gedolah) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “great”; Notes: Intensifies the level of disturbance.
- מְאֹ֔ד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Emphasizes the severity of the affliction.
- וַיַּךְ֙ (va-yak) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and He struck”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s punishment.
- אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִ֔יר (et-anshei haʿir) – Root: אנש (enosh) + עיר (ʿir); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “the men of the city”; Notes: Refers to the population afflicted.
- מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּדֹ֑ול (mi-qaton veʿad-gadol) – Root: קטן (katan) + גדול (gadol); Form: Adjective phrase; Translation: “from small to great”; Notes: Indicates all social ranks were affected.
- וַיִּשָּׂתְר֥וּ (va-yissatru) – Root: סתר (satar); Form: Nifal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they broke out”; Notes: Describes the physical affliction.
- לָהֶ֖ם (lahem) – Root: ל (le) + הם (hem); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “on them”; Notes: Directs the affliction.
- עפלים (ʿofalim) – Root: עפל (ʿofel); Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “tumors”; Notes: Indicates the specific disease inflicted.