וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יֹואָ֔ב לֹא־כֵ֖ן אֹחִ֣ילָה לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַיִּקַּח֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה שְׁבָטִ֜ים בְּכַפֹּ֗ו וַיִּתְקָעֵם֙ בְּלֵ֣ב אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ום עֹודֶ֥נּוּ חַ֖י בְּלֵ֥ב הָאֵלָֽה׃
And Yoʾav said, “Not so will I wait before you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Avshalom, while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (vay-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks beginning of direct speech.
- יֹואָב (Yoʾav) – Root: יואב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yoʾav”; Notes: Speaker of the sentence.
- לֹא־כֵן (lo-khen) – Root: כן; Form: Negative particle + adverb; Translation: “Not so”; Notes: Expression of denial or refusal.
- אֹחִילָה (ʾoḥilah) – Root: חול; Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “I will wait” / “I will tarry”; Notes: Expresses volition or determination.
- לְפָנֶיךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + construct noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates position of respect or address.
- וַיִּקַּח (vayyikkaḥ) – Root: לקח; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Continues narrative sequence.
- שְׁלֹשָׁה (sheloshah) – Root: שלש; Form: Numeral masculine singular; Translation: “three”; Notes: Cardinal number modifying the next noun.
- שְׁבָטִים (shevaṭim) – Root: שבט; Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “spears” / “rods”; Notes: Military weapons, instruments of attack.
- בְּכַפֹּו (be-kappo) – Root: כף; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his hand”; Notes: Indicates possession and readiness for action.
- וַיִּתְקָעֵם (vayyitqaʿem) – Root: תקע; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and he thrust them”; Notes: Violent and direct action.
- בְּלֵב (be-lev) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “into the heart of”; Notes: Indicates exact target.
- אַבְשָׁלֹם (Avshalom) – Root: אבשלום; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avshalom”; Notes: The one being struck.
- עוֹדֶנּוּ (ʿodennu) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb + pronominal suffix (3rd masculine singular); Translation: “while he was still”; Notes: Temporal clause indicating continuation.
- חַי (ḥai) – Root: חיה; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “alive”; Notes: Emphasizes that the act was done before death.
- בְּלֵב (be-lev) – Root: לב; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the midst of”; Notes: Refers to interior or central location.
- הָאֵלָה (ha-ʾelah) – Root: אלה; Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the oak”; Notes: Refers to the tree in which Avshalom was hanging.