וִ֠יהִי בשֶׂמעך אֶת־קֹ֧ול צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים אָ֣ז תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אָ֗ז יָצָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכֹּ֖ות בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the bakha-trees, then you shall act decisively, for then YHWH shall go out before you to strike down the camp of the Pelishtim.
Morphology
- וִ֠יהִי (vihi) – Root: היה; Form: Waw + Qal jussive/imperfect 3ms; Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces a conditional or future scenario.
- בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ (bishomʿakha) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “when you hear”; Notes: Temporal clause.
- אֶת־קֹ֧ול (et-qol) – Root: קול; Form: Definite direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sound”; Notes: Direct object of hearing.
- צְעָדָ֛ה (tseʿadah) – Root: צעד; Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “marching” or “footsteps”; Notes: Refers to the sound of movement.
- בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י (berashe) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “in the tops of”; Notes: Locative phrase.
- הַבְּכָאִ֖ים (ha-bekaʾim) – Root: בכה; Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “the baka-trees”; Notes: Possibly balsam trees.
- אָ֣ז (ʾaz) – Root: –; Form: Adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Marks the next action in sequence.
- תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ (teḥerats) – Root: חרץ; Form: Qal imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall act decisively”; Notes: Can mean to attack or move swiftly.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason or explanation.
- אָ֗ז (ʾaz) – As above; repeated for emphasis.
- יָצָ֤א (yatza) – Root: יצא; Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “He went out”; Notes: Refers to YHWH taking action.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the verb “to go out.”
- לְפָנֶ֔יךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנים; Form: Preposition + plural noun + 2ms suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates YHWH going in advance.
- לְהַכֹּ֖ות (lehakot) – Root: נכה; Form: Infinitive construct (Hiphil); Translation: “to strike”; Notes: Purpose clause – YHWH strikes the enemy.
- בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה (be-maḥaneh) – Root: חנה; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the camp of”; Notes: Military term.
- פְלִשְׁתִּֽים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁת; Form: Proper noun, masculine plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: Object of divine action.