וְלָאֲתֹנֹ֞ות הָאֹבְדֹ֣ות לְךָ֗ הַיֹּום֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֔ים אַל־תָּ֧שֶׂם אֶֽת־לִבְּךָ֛ לָהֶ֖ם כִּ֣י נִמְצָ֑אוּ וּלְמִי֙ כָּל־חֶמְדַּ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֲלֹ֣וא לְךָ֔ וּלְכֹ֖ל בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ׃ ס
And as for the donkeys that were lost to you three days ago, do not set your heart on them, for they have been found. And to whom belongs all the desire of Yisraʾel? Is it not to you and to all the house of your father?”
Morphology
- וְלָאֲתֹנֹ֞ות (ve-laʾatonot) – Root: אתן (ʾ-t-n); Form: Noun, feminine plural with definite article; Translation: “And as for the donkeys”; Notes: Refers to the lost donkeys of Shaʾul.
- הָאֹבְדֹ֣ות (haʾovedot) – Root: אבד (ʾ-b-d); Form: Qal active participle, feminine plural with definite article; Translation: “that were lost”; Notes: Describes the condition of the donkeys.
- לְךָ֗ (lekha) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Possessive phrase.
- הַיֹּום֙ (ha-yom) – Root: יום (y-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Specifies the timeframe.
- שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת הַיָּמִ֔ים (sheloshet ha-yamim) – Root: שלש (sh-l-sh); Form: Noun, masculine plural in construct form; Translation: “three days”; Notes: Indicates the duration of loss.
- אַל־תָּ֧שֶׂם (ʾal-tasem) – Root: שום (s-w-m); Form: Qal imperfect jussive 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “do not set”; Notes: Negative imperative form.
- אֶֽת־לִבְּךָ֛ (et-libbekha) – Root: לבב (l-v-v); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your heart”; Notes: Object of the verb “set.”
- לָהֶ֖ם (lahem) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “on them”; Notes: Refers to the donkeys.
- כִּ֣י נִמְצָ֑אוּ (ki nimtseʾu) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “for they have been found”; Notes: Passive voice.
- וּלְמִי֙ (u-lemi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun with preposition; Translation: “And to whom”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- כָּל־חֶמְדַּ֣ת (kol-ḥemdat) – Root: חמד (ḥ-m-d); Form: Noun, feminine singular in construct form; Translation: “all the desire”; Notes: Refers to the expectation of leadership.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the people of Israel.
- הֲלֹ֣וא (halo) – Root: הלוא (halo); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Is it not”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- לְךָ֔ (lekha) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- וּלְכֹ֖ל (u-lekhol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “and to all”; Notes: Expands the audience.
- בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽיךָ (bet avikha) – Root: בית (b-y-t), אב (ʾ-b); Form: Noun, masculine singular in construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “the house of your father”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul’s family lineage.