וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק דְּבַר־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יֹואָ֔ב וְעַ֖ל שָׂרֵ֣י הֶחָ֑יִל וַיֵּצֵ֨א יֹואָ֜ב וְשָׂרֵ֤י הַחַ֨יִל֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִפְקֹ֥ד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
But the word of the king prevailed over Yoʾav and over the commanders of the army. So Yoʾav and the commanders of the army went out from before the king to number the people, Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- וַיֶּחֱזַק (vayyeḥezaq) – Root: חזק; Form: Qal wayyiqtol, 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and it prevailed” / “was strong”; Notes: Indicates forcefulness or overriding command.
- דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ (devar ha-melekh) – Root: דבר, מלך; Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the word of the king”; Notes: Refers to the king’s command.
- אֶל־יֹואָב (el-Yoʾav) – Root: יואב; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yoʾav”; Notes: Object of the verb indicating who received the command.
- וְעַל (ve-ʿal) – Root: על; Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and upon”; Notes: Joins Yoʾav with the following group.
- שָׂרֵי הֶחָיִל (sarei he-ḥayil) – Root: שר, חיל; Form: Construct plural + definite noun; Translation: “the commanders of the army”; Notes: Military leaders under Yoʾav.
- וַיֵּצֵא (vayyetse) – Root: יצא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol, 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he went out”; Notes: Refers to Yoʾav.
- יֹואָב (Yoʾav) – Root: יואב; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yoʾav”; Notes: Subject of the previous verb.
- וְשָׂרֵי הַחַיִל (ve-sarei ha-ḥayil) – Root: שר, חיל; Form: Conjunction + construct plural + definite noun; Translation: “and the commanders of the army”; Notes: Coordinated with Yoʾav as joint actors.
- לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ (lifnei ha-melekh) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “from before the king”; Notes: Indicates their departure from Dawid’s presence.
- לִפְקֹד (lifqod) – Root: פקד; Form: Infinitive construct with prefixed lamed; Translation: “to number”; Notes: Purpose of their going out.
- אֶת־הָעָם (et-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun; Translation: “the people”; Notes: The object of the census.
- אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל (et-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: In apposition to “the people,” clarifying the national identity.