וַיַּ֣עַן אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֩ אֶת־אִ֨ישׁ יְהוּדָ֜ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עֶֽשֶׂר־יָדֹ֨ות לִ֣י בַמֶּלֶךְ וְגַם־בְּדָוִד֮ אֲנִ֣י מִמְּךָ֒ וּמַדּ֨וּעַ֙ הֱקִלֹּתַ֔נִי וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה דְבָרִ֥י רִאשֹׁ֛ון לִ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶת־מַלְכִּ֑י וַיִּ֨קֶשׁ֙ דְּבַר־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֔ה מִדְּבַ֖ר אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס
And the man of Yisraʾel answered the man of Yehuda and said, “I have ten parts in the king, and also in Dawid I am more than you. And why have you treated me lightly, and was not my word first for me to bring back my king?” And the word of the man of Yehuda was harsher than the word of the man of Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- וַיַּעַן (vayyaʿan) – Root: ענה; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Introduces a response in narrative.
- אִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (ish-Yisraʾel) – Root: איש, ישראל; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “the man of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Representative or collective of the northern tribes.
- אֶת־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה (et-ish Yehudah) – Root: איש, יהודה; Form: Direct object phrase; Translation: “the man of Yehudah”; Notes: His opponent in the dialogue.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Standard speech formula.
- עֶשֶׂר־יָדֹות (ʿeser-yadot) – Root: עשר, יד; Form: Numeral + feminine plural noun construct; Translation: “ten parts”; Notes: Metaphor for shares or tribal portions.
- לִי (li) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- בַמֶּלֶךְ (ba-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “in the king”; Notes: Refers to national stake or connection.
- וְגַם־בְּדָוִד (ve-gam-be-Dawid) – Root: דוד; Form: Conjunction + preposition + proper noun; Translation: “and also in Dawid”; Notes: Personal allegiance claim.
- אֲנִי (ʾani) – Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic position.
- מִמְּךָ (mimmekha) – Root: מן; Form: Preposition + 2nd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “than you”; Notes: Comparative statement.
- וּמַדּוּעַ (u-madduaʿ) – Root: ידע; Form: Conjunction + interrogative; Translation: “and why”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- הֱקִלֹּתַנִי (heqillotani) – Root: קלל; Form: Hifil perfect 2nd masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “have you treated me lightly”; Notes: Conveys insult or disrespect.
- וְלֹא־הָיָה (ve-lo-hayah) – Root: היה; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and was not”; Notes: Denial of precedence.
- דְבָרִי (devari) – Root: דבר; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my word”; Notes: Refers to the speaker’s proposal.
- רִאשֹׁון (riʾshon) – Root: ראש; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “first”; Notes: Indicates prior initiative.
- לִי (li) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Repeats possessive emphasis.
- לְהָשִׁיב (lehashiv) – Root: שוב; Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to bring back”; Notes: Refers to returning the king.
- אֶת־מַלְכִּי (et-malki) – Root: מלך; Form: Object marker + noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my king”; Notes: Shows personal loyalty.
- וַיִּקֶשׁ (vayyiqesh) – Root: קשׁה; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and it was harsher”; Notes: Refers to tone or content of the speech.
- דְּבַר־אִישׁ יְהוּדָה (devar-ish Yehudah) – Root: דבר, איש, יהודה; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “the word of the man of Yehudah”; Notes: Response perceived as stern or offensive.
- מִדְּבַר אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל (middevar ish Yisraʾel) – Root: דבר, איש, ישראל; Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “than the word of the man of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Sets up comparison.