וַיַּֽעֲזָר־לֹו֙ אֲבִישַׁ֣י בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֔ה וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖י וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ אָ֣ז נִשְׁבְּעוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁי־דָוִ֨ד לֹ֜ו לֵאמֹ֗ר לֹא־תֵצֵ֨א עֹ֤וד אִתָּ֨נוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א תְכַבֶּ֖ה אֶת־נֵ֥ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
And Avishai son of Tseruya helped him and struck the Pelishti and killed him. Then the men of Dawid swore to him, saying, “You shall not go out again with us to battle, lest you extinguish the lamp of Yisraʾel.”
Morphology
- וַיַּֽעֲזָר־לֹו (vayyaʿazar-lo) – Root: עזר (ʿazar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And he helped him”; Notes: Refers to Avishai coming to Dawid’s aid.
- אֲבִישַׁי (Avishai) – Root: אבישׁי (Avishai); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avishai”; Notes: A warrior and nephew of Dawid.
- בֶּן־צְרוּיָה (ben-Tseruyah) – Root: בן (ben), צרויה (Tseruyah); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Tseruyah”; Notes: Tseruyah is the sister of Dawid.
- וַיַּךְ (vayyak) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he struck”; Notes: Violent action leading to death.
- אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּי (et-ha-Pelishti) – Root: פלשׁת (Peleshet); Form: Direct object marker + definite gentilic noun masculine singular; Translation: “the Pelishti”; Notes: The warrior threatening Dawid.
- וַיְמִיתֵהוּ (vayyemitehu) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he killed him”; Notes: Result of the previous blow.
- אָז (ʾaz) – Root: אז (ʾaz); Form: Adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Introduces the consequence or response.
- נִשְׁבְּעוּ (nishbeʿu) – Root: שׁבע (shavaʿ); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they swore”; Notes: Formal oath or vow.
- אַנְשֵׁי־דָוִד (ʾanshei-Dawid) – Root: אנשׁ (ʾenosh); Form: Construct noun masculine plural + proper noun; Translation: “the men of Dawid”; Notes: His warriors or loyal followers.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- לֵאמֹר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- לֹא־תֵצֵא (lo-teʿtze) – Root: יצא (yatzaʾ); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “You shall not go out”; Notes: Direct address to Dawid.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “again”; Notes: Prohibition of future participation.
- אִתָּנוּ (ittanu) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: The warriors speaking.
- לַמִּלְחָמָה (la-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to the battle”; Notes: Refers to warfare in general.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Continues the prohibition.
- תְכַבֶּה (tekhabeh) – Root: כבה (kavah); Form: Piel imperfect 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “you extinguish”; Notes: Metaphor of extinguishing a light.
- אֶת־נֵר (et-ner) – Root: נר (ner); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lamp of”; Notes: Symbol of guidance, hope, leadership.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Represents the nation as a whole.