וַיְהִ֤י כָל־הָעָם֙ נָדֹ֔ון בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ הִצִּילָ֣נוּ מִכַּ֣ף אֹיְבֵ֗ינוּ וְה֤וּא מִלְּטָ֨נוּ֙ מִכַּ֣ף פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְעַתָּ֛ה בָּרַ֥ח מִן־הָאָ֖רֶץ מֵעַ֥ל אַבְשָׁלֹֽום׃
And all the people were disputing among all the tribes of Yisraʾel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and he rescued us from the hand of the Pelishtim, but now he has fled from the land because of Avshalom.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (vayhi) – Root: היה; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Standard narrative introduction.
- כָל־הָעָם (khol ha-ʿam) – Root: כל, עם; Form: Construct noun + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: Subject of the verb “were disputing.”
- נָדֹון (nadon) – Root: דין; Form: Nifal participle masculine singular (used collectively); Translation: “were disputing” / “were arguing”; Notes: Indicates internal debate or deliberation.
- בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵי (be-khol shivtei) – Root: כל, שבט; Form: Preposition + construct noun plural construct; Translation: “among all the tribes of”; Notes: Scope of the debate.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Collective national identity.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the next two verbs.
- הִצִּילָנוּ (hitsilanu) – Root: נצל; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “delivered us”; Notes: Causative verb emphasizing rescue.
- מִכַּף (mi-kaf) – Root: כף; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the hand of”; Notes: Idiom for “from the power of.”
- אֹיְבֵינוּ (ʾoyveinu) – Root: אויב; Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our enemies”; Notes: Object of “delivered us.”
- וְהוּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Independent pronoun; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Emphasizes the king’s action.
- מִלְּטָנוּ (milletanu) – Root: מלט; Form: Piel perfect 3rd masculine singular + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “rescued us”; Notes: Synonym of previous verb, intensive nuance.
- מִכַּף (mi-kaf) – Root: כף; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the hand of”; Notes: Repeated idiom.
- פְּלִשְׁתִּים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁת; Form: Proper noun masculine plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Traditional enemies of Yisraʾel.
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “but now”; Notes: Marks contrast in circumstance.
- בָּרַח (barach) – Root: ברח; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he has fled”; Notes: Describes the king’s withdrawal.
- מִן־הָאָרֶץ (min-haʾaretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the land”; Notes: Geographical departure.
- מֵעַל (meʿal) – Root: על; Form: Preposition; Translation: “because of” / “from over”; Notes: Expresses reason or consequence.
- אַבְשָׁלֹם (Avshalom) – Root: אבשלום; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avshalom”; Notes: Cause of the king’s flight.