וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד כִּֽי־גָבְר֤וּ עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּצְא֥וּ אֵלֵ֖ינוּ הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַנִּהְיֶ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עַד־פֶּ֥תַח הַשָּֽׁעַר׃
And the messenger said to Dawid, “Because the men prevailed against us and came out to us into the field, then we were upon them until the entrance of the gate.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces speech by the messenger.
- הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ (ha-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the messenger”; Notes: Subject of the speech.
- אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד (el-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Dawid”; Notes: Recipient of the report.
- כִּֽי־גָבְר֤וּ (ki-gavru) – Root: גבר (gavar); Form: Causal conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Because they prevailed”; Notes: Explains the reason for what follows.
- עָלֵ֨ינוּ֙ (ʿaleinu) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “against us”; Notes: Indicates military pressure.
- הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים (ha-anashim) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Refers to the enemy soldiers.
- וַיֵּצְא֥וּ (vayyetseʾu) – Root: יצא (yatza); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they came out”; Notes: Enemy advanced from the city.
- אֵלֵ֖ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Direct movement toward Yoʾav’s forces.
- הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה (ha-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה (sadeh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the field”; Notes: Location of the battle encounter.
- וַנִּהְיֶ֥ה (vannihyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person common plural; Translation: “and we were”; Notes: The Israelite army engaged them.
- עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (ʿaleihem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Indicates attack or military pressure.
- עַד־פֶּ֥תַח (ʿad-petaḥ) – Root: פתח (petaḥ); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “until the entrance”; Notes: Extent of their advance.
- הַשָּֽׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: City gate, strategic location in ancient warfare.