וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־יֹושְׁבֵ֥י קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵשִׁ֤בוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֶת־אֲרֹ֣ון יְהוָ֔ה רְד֕וּ הַעֲל֥וּ אֹתֹ֖ו אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃
And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Qiryat-yeʿarim, saying, “The Pelishtim have returned the Ark of YHWH. Come down, bring it up to yourselves.”
Morphology
- וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ (vayyishleḥu) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they sent”; Notes: Sequential action.
- מַלְאָכִ֔ים (malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “messengers”; Notes: Can refer to human or divine messengers.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- יֹושְׁבֵ֥י (yoshvei) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Participle, masculine plural construct; Translation: “inhabitants of”; Notes: Construct form.
- קִרְיַת־יְעָרִ֖ים (Qiryat-Yeʿarim) – Root: קרית יערים (Qiryat-Yeʿarim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Qiryat-Yeʿarim”; Notes: A city in Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces speech.
- הֵשִׁ֤בוּ (heshibu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have returned”; Notes: Causative form.
- פְלִשְׁתִּים֙ (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשת (Peleshet); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: The Philistines.
- אֶת־ (et) – Root: את (et); Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: (not translated); Notes: Marks direct object.
- אֲרֹ֣ון (aron) – Root: ארון (aron); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Ark”; Notes: Refers to the Ark of YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- רְד֕וּ (redu) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Come down”; Notes: Command form.
- הַעֲל֥וּ (haʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Hiphil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “bring up”; Notes: Causative command.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Definite direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the Ark.
- אֲלֵיכֶֽם (aleikhem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to yourselves”; Notes: Indicates direction.