וַיִשַּׁ֨רְנָה הַפָּרֹ֜ות בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ עַל־דֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה אַחַ֗ת הָלְכ֤וּ הָלֹךְ֙ וְגָעֹ֔ו וְלֹא־סָ֖רוּ יָמִ֣ין וּשְׂמֹ֑אול וְסַרְנֵ֤י פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם עַד־גְּב֖וּל בֵּ֥ית שָֽׁמֶשׁ׃
And the cows went straight on the way, on the road to Beit Shemesh; they went on one highway, going and lowing, and they did not turn aside to the right or to the left. And the chiefs of the Pelishtim went after them up to the border of Beit Shemesh.
Morphology
- וַיִשַּׁ֨רְנָה (vayisharnah) – Root: ישר (yashar); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person feminine plural; Translation: “And they went straight”; Notes: Indicates purposeful movement.
- הַפָּרֹ֜ות (ha-parot) – Root: פרה (parah); Form: Noun, feminine plural definite; Translation: “the cows”; Notes: Definite form with prefixed article.
- בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ (ba-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Prefixed definite article.
- עַל־דֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ (ʿal-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “on the road”; Notes: Indicates position.
- בֵּ֣ית שֶׁ֔מֶשׁ (Beit-Shemesh) – Root: בית שמש (Beit-Shemesh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Beit-Shemesh”; Notes: Name of a city in Yisraʾel.
- בִּמְסִלָּ֣ה (bi-mesillah) – Root: מסלה (mesillah); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite; Translation: “on one highway”; Notes: Indicates a specific road.
- אַחַ֗ת (aḥat) – Root: אחד (eḥad); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Describes singularity.
- הָלְכ֤וּ (halekhu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they went”; Notes: Past action.
- הָלֹךְ֙ (halokh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Infinitive absolute; Translation: “going”; Notes: Emphasizes continuous action.
- וְגָעֹ֔ו (ve-gaʿo) – Root: געה (gaʿah); Form: Qal infinitive absolute; Translation: “and lowing”; Notes: Indicates the cows’ vocalization.
- וְלֹא־סָ֖רוּ (ve-lo-saru) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “and they did not turn aside”; Notes: Negated past action.
- יָמִ֣ין (yamin) – Root: ימין (yamin); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “right”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- וּשְׂמֹ֑אול (u-semoʾl) – Root: שמאל (semol); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “or to the left”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- וְסַרְנֵ֤י (ve-sarnei) – Root: סרני (sarnei); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “and the chiefs of”; Notes: Leaders of Pelishtim.
- פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשת (Peleshet); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: The Philistines.
- הֹלְכִ֣ים (hol’khim) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “going”; Notes: Describes their movement.
- אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ם (aḥareihem) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “after them”; Notes: Indicates pursuit.
- עַד־ (ʿad) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition; Translation: “up to”; Notes: Indicates distance or goal.
- גְּב֖וּל (gevul) – Root: גבול (gevul); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “border”; Notes: Territorial boundary.
- בֵּ֥ית שָֽׁמֶשׁ (Beit-Shemesh) – Root: בית שמש (Beit-Shemesh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Beit-Shemesh”; Notes: City name.