וַיַּרְא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מֹואָ֔ב כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֹ֠ותֹו שְׁבַע־מֵאֹ֨ות אִ֜ישׁ שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֗רֶב לְהַבְקִ֛יעַ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ אֱדֹ֖ום וְלֹ֥א יָכֹֽלוּ׃
And the king of Moʾav saw that the battle was too strong for him, so he took with him seven hundred men drawing the sword to break through to the king of Edom, but they were not able.
Morphology
- וַיַּרְא (va-yarʾ) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he saw”; Notes: Refers to the king of Moʾav observing the situation.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ מֹואָ֔ב (melekh Moʾav) – Root: מלך + מואב; Form: Construct chain of definite noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Moʾav”; Notes: Subject of the verb “saw.”
- כִּֽי־חָזַ֥ק (ki-ḥazaq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “that was strong”; Notes: Indicates realization of the strength of the battle.
- מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (mimmennu) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: The battle was overwhelming to him.
- הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (ha-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (lakham); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the battle”; Notes: Subject of “was strong.”
- וַיִּקַּ֣ח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he took”; Notes: Describes the king’s attempt to break the siege.
- אֹ֠ותֹו (oto) – Root: את; Form: Accusative marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him” or “with him”; Notes: Likely refers to the group or object of accompaniment.
- שְׁבַע־מֵאֹ֨ות אִ֜ישׁ (shevaʿ-meʾot ish) – Root: שבע + מאה + איש; Form: Numerals + noun masculine singular; Translation: “seven hundred men”; Notes: Soldiers chosen for the assault.
- שֹׁ֣לֵֽף חֶ֗רֶב (sholef ḥerev) – Root: שלף + חרב; Form: Qal active participle + noun feminine singular; Translation: “drawing the sword”; Notes: Describes warriors ready for close combat.
- לְהַבְקִ֛יעַ (le-havqiʿa) – Root: בקע (baqaʿ); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to break through”; Notes: Purpose of the military maneuver.
- אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ אֱדֹ֖ום (el-melekh Edom) – Root: מלך + אדום; Form: Preposition + construct chain; Translation: “to the king of Edom”; Notes: Strategic target for escape or assassination.
- וְלֹ֥א יָכֹֽלוּ (ve-lo yakholu) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “but they were not able”; Notes: Marks failure of the breakthrough attempt.