וַיִּקַּח֩ אֶת־בְּנֹ֨ו הַבְּכֹ֜ור אֲשֶׁר־יִמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֗יו וַיַּעֲלֵ֤הוּ עֹלָה֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה וַיְהִ֥י קֶצֶף־גָּדֹ֖ול עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּסְעוּ֙ מֵֽעָלָ֔יו וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ לָאָֽרֶץ׃ פ
And he took his firstborn son, who was to reign in his place, and offered him up as a burnt offering on the wall. And great wrath came upon Yisraʾel, and they departed from him and returned to the land.
Morphology
- וַיִּקַּח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Refers to the king of Moʾav taking his son.
- אֶת־בְּנֹו (et-bno) – Root: בן; Form: Accusative marker + noun masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his son”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “took.”
- הַבְּכֹ֜ור (ha-bekhor) – Root: בכר; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the firstborn”; Notes: Indicates heir to the throne.
- אֲשֶׁר־יִמְלֹ֣ךְ תַּחְתָּ֗יו (asher-yimlokh taḥtav) – Root: מלך + תחת; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + preposition with suffix; Translation: “who was to reign in his place”; Notes: Expresses expected succession.
- וַיַּעֲלֵ֤הוּ (va-yaʿalehu) – Root: עלה; Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he offered him up”; Notes: Indicates sacrificial action.
- עֹלָה (ʿolah) – Root: עלה; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “as a burnt offering”; Notes: A whole burnt offering completely consumed by fire.
- עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה (ʿal-ha-ḥomah) – Root: חומה; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “on the wall”; Notes: Likely a city wall, intended for visibility and intimidation.
- וַיְהִ֥י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And there was”; Notes: Introduction to a consequential event.
- קֶצֶף־גָּדֹ֖ול (qetsef gadol) – Root: קצף + גדול; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “great wrath”; Notes: Can imply divine anger or intense reaction.
- עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (ʿal-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “upon Yisraʾel”; Notes: Subject to dispute—some interpret this as divine wrath, others as Moʾavite backlash.
- וַיִּסְעוּ (va-yisʿu) – Root: נסע (nasaʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they departed”; Notes: Refers to the allied armies of Yisraʾel.
- מֵֽעָלָ֔יו (me-ʿalav) – Root: על; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from against him”; Notes: Ceasing their attack on Moʾav.
- וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ (va-yashuvu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they returned”; Notes: Military withdrawal.
- לָאָֽרֶץ (la-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the land”; Notes: Likely refers to the land of Yisraʾel.