וַיְהִי֩ לִתְשׁוּבַ֨ת הַשָּׁנָ֜ה לְעֵ֣ת צֵ֣את הַמַּלְאֲכִ֗ים וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח דָּוִ֡ד אֶת־יֹואָב֩ וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֨יו עִמֹּ֜ו וְאֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיַּשְׁחִ֨תוּ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֹּ֔ון וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ עַל־רַבָּ֑ה וְדָוִ֖ד יֹושֵׁ֥ב בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס
And it came to pass at the turning of the year, at the time when kings go out, that Dawid sent Yoʾav and his servants with him, and all Yisraʾel; and they destroyed the sons of ʿAmmon and besieged Rabba. But Dawid remained in Yerushalayim.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֩ (vayhi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative formula introducing a new event.
- לִתְשׁוּבַ֨ת (litshuvat) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the turning of”; Notes: Refers to the change of the year.
- הַשָּׁנָ֜ה (ha-shanah) – Root: שנה (shanah); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the year”; Notes: Specifies the time of year.
- לְעֵ֣ת (le-ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “at the time of”; Notes: Temporal marker.
- צֵ֣את (tset) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Infinitive construct feminine; Translation: “going out”; Notes: Refers to military expeditions.
- הַמַּלְאֲכִ֗ים (ha-malʾakhim) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the kings”; Notes: Refers to the season when kings wage war.
- וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (vayyishlaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and [he] sent”; Notes: Subject is Dawid.
- דָּוִ֡ד (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel.
- אֶת־יֹואָב֩ (et-Yoʾav) – Root: יואב (Yoʾav); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Yoʾav”; Notes: Commander of the army.
- וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֨יו (ve-et-ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Conjunction + direct object + noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his servants”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s officers or warriors.
- עִמֹּ֜ו (ʿimmo) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Refers to Yoʾav.
- וְאֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (ve-et-kol-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Conjunction + direct object + noun in construct + proper noun; Translation: “and all Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the army.
- וַיַּשְׁחִ֨תוּ (vayyashḥitu) – Root: שחת (shḥat); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they destroyed”; Notes: Describes what the army did.
- אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֹּ֔ון (et-benei ʿAmmon) – Roots: בן (ben), עמון (ʿAmmon); Form: Direct object + construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the sons of ʿAmmon”; Notes: The enemy nation.
- וַיָּצֻ֖רוּ (vayyatzuru) – Root: צור (tzur); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they besieged”; Notes: Military tactic.
- עַל־רַבָּ֑ה (ʿal-Rabbah) – Root: רבה (Rabbah); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Rabbah”; Notes: Capital of ʿAmmon.
- וְדָוִ֖ד (ve-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “but Dawid”; Notes: Contrast with army action.
- יֹושֵׁ֥ב (yoshev) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was dwelling/sitting”; Notes: Ongoing action.
- בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם (bi-Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלם (Yerushalayim); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Yerushalayim”; Notes: Indicates he did not join the battle.
- ס (samekh) – Notes: Masoretic section break (parashah setumah).