וַיַּעַן֩ אֶחָ֨ד מֵעֲבָדָ֜יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר וְיִקְחוּ־נָ֞א חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה מִן־הַסּוּסִים֮ הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ֒ הִנָּ֗ם כְּכָל־ההָמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָ֔הּ הִנָּ֕ם כְּכָל־הֲמֹ֥ון יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־תָּ֑מּוּ וְנִשְׁלְחָ֖ה וְנִרְאֶֽה
Then one of his servants answered and said, “Let them now take five of the horses that remain, which are left in it. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Yisraʾel who are left in it; behold, they are like all the multitude of Yisraʾel who have perished. So let us send, and we shall see.”
Morphology
- וַיַּעַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ענה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Then he answered”; Notes: Introduces a response within the narrative dialogue.
- אֶחָד (eḥad) – Root: אחד; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Refers to a single individual from the group of servants.
- מֵעֲבָדָיו (me-ʿavadav) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “of his servants”; Notes: Indicates the speaker’s position.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Follows the initial response verb.
- וְיִקְחוּ־נָא (ve-yiqḥu-na) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + particle of entreaty; Translation: “let them now take”; Notes: Polite or urging proposal.
- חֲמִשָּׁה (ḥamishah) – Root: חמש; Form: Cardinal number masculine; Translation: “five”; Notes: Indicates quantity of horses to be taken.
- מִן־הַסּוּסִים (min-ha-susim) – Root: סוס; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “of the horses”; Notes: Refers to the few remaining animals in the city.
- הַנִּשְׁאָרִים (ha-nishʾarim) – Root: שׁאר; Form: Niphal participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “that remain”; Notes: Indicates scarcity and survival.
- אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ (asher nishʾaru-vah) – Root: שׁאר; Form: Relative pronoun + Niphal perfect 3rd person masculine plural + preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “which are left in it”; Notes: Refers to the city under siege.
- הִנָּם (hinam) – Root: הנה; Form: Interjection + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “behold, they are”; Notes: Used to draw attention.
- כְּכָל־הֶהָמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ (ke-khol-hehamon Yisraʾel asher nishʾaru-vah) – Roots: כל, המון, שׂאר; Form: Preposition + noun construct + proper noun + relative clause; Translation: “like all the multitude of Yisraʾel who are left in it”; Notes: Emphasizes small remnant of people.
- כְּכָל־הֲמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־תָּמּוּ (ke-khol-hamon Yisraʾel asher-tammu) – Root: תם; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun + relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “like all the multitude of Yisraʾel who have perished”; Notes: Contrasts the living remnant with the dead majority.
- וְנִשְׁלְחָה (ve-nishleḥah) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us send”; Notes: A call to action to investigate.
- וְנִרְאֶה (ve-nirʾeh) – Root: ראה; Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us see”; Notes: Concludes the proposal with an invitation to verify.