וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים׃
And Dawid inquired of YHWH, and He said, “You shall not go up. Go around behind them, and you shall come to them opposite the bakha-trees.
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל (vayyishaʾal) – Root: שׁאל; Form: Wayyiqtol (Qal imperfect 3ms); Translation: “And he inquired”; Notes: Refers to Dawid seeking divine guidance.
- דָּוִד (Dawid) – Root: דוד; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- בַּֽיהוָה (ba-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “of YHWH”; Notes: The one from whom Dawid seeks counsel.
- וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Wayyiqtol (Qal imperfect 3ms); Translation: “And He said”; Notes: YHWH’s response.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Used to negate the following verb.
- תַעֲלֶ֑ה (taʿaleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall go up”; Notes: Negated by the preceding לֹא.
- הָסֵב (hasev) – Root: סבב; Form: Hiphil imperative 2ms; Translation: “Turn around”; Notes: A command to encircle or flank the enemy.
- אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶם (el-aḥareihem) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + plural pronominal suffix; Translation: “behind them”; Notes: Indicates a strategic position from the rear.
- וּבָ֥אתָ (u-vaʾta) – Root: בוא; Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 2ms; Translation: “and you shall come”; Notes: Sequential future action.
- לָהֶ֖ם (lahem) – Root: הם; Form: Preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Directional phrase.
- מִמּ֥וּל (mimmul) – Root: מול; Form: Preposition; Translation: “opposite”; Notes: Indicates facing or frontal position.
- בְּכָאִֽים (bekaʾim) – Root: בכה; Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “baka-trees” (balsam trees); Notes: Likely a specific grove or forest landmark.