וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֤ר אֶל־יֹואָב֙ אַל־יֵרַ֤ע בְּעֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־כָזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תֹּאכַ֣ל הֶחָ֑רֶב הַחֲזֵ֨ק מִלְחַמְתְּךָ֧ אֶל־הָעִ֛יר וְהָרְסָ֖הּ וְחַזְּקֵֽהוּ׃
And Dawid said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Yoʾav: ‘Do not let this matter be evil in your eyes, for the sword devours one way and another. Strengthen your battle against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Dawid speaking.
- דָּוִ֜ד (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the speech.
- אֶל־הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ (el-ha-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the messenger”; Notes: Recipient of Dawid’s instruction.
- כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֤ר (koh-toʾmar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Adverb + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus you shall say”; Notes: Common formula for relaying a message.
- אֶל־יֹואָב֙ (el-Yoʾav) – Root: יואב (Yoʾav); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yoʾav”; Notes: Commander of Dawid’s army.
- אַל־יֵרַ֤ע (ʾal-yēraʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Let it not be evil”; Notes: Prohibition or reassurance.
- בְּעֵינֶ֨יךָ (be-ʿeineikha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Preposition + dual noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Refers to perception or opinion.
- אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה (et-ha-davar ha-zeh) – Roots: דבר (davar), זה (zeh); Form: Direct object + definite noun + demonstrative; Translation: “this matter”; Notes: Refers to the loss in battle, including Uriyyah’s death.
- כִּֽי־כָזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה (ki-kazoh ve-kazeh) – Form: Conjunction + demonstratives; Translation: “for like this and like that”; Notes: Introduces a general truth or inevitability.
- תֹּאכַ֣ל (toʾkhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “it devours”; Notes: Refers to “the sword” as the subject.
- הֶחָ֑רֶב (he-ḥarev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the sword”; Notes: Personified as a devourer.
- הַחֲזֵ֨ק (haḥazēq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Hifil imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Strengthen”; Notes: Command to Yoʾav to intensify the effort.
- מִלְחַמְתְּךָ֧ (milḥamtekha) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Feminine noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your battle”; Notes: Refers to the ongoing siege.
- אֶל־הָעִ֛יר (el-ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the city”; Notes: The city under siege (likely Rabbah).
- וְהָרְסָ֖הּ (ve-har’sah) – Root: רסס (rasas); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and overthrow it”; Notes: Destruction of the city is commanded.
- וְחַזְּקֵֽהוּ (ve-ḥazzəqēhu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Piel imperative masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and encourage him”; Notes: Encouragement to Yoʾav amid loss.