וַיַּ֣ךְ אֶת־מֹואָ֗ב וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤ם בַּחֶ֨בֶל֙ הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב אֹותָ֣ם אַ֔רְצָה וַיְמַדֵּ֤ד שְׁנֵֽי־חֲבָלִים֙ לְהָמִ֔ית וּמְלֹ֥א הַחֶ֖בֶל לְהַחֲיֹ֑ות וַתְּהִ֤י מֹואָב֙ לְדָוִ֔ד לַעֲבָדִ֖ים נֹשְׂאֵ֥י מִנְחָֽה׃
And he struck Moʾav and measured them with a rope, making them lie down on the ground; and he measured two lines to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. So Moʾav became servants to Dawid, bearers of tribute.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֣ךְ (va-yak) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he struck”; Notes: Military action.
- אֶת־מֹואָ֗ב (et-Moʾav) – Root: מואב (Moʾav); Form: Accusative marker + proper noun; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: Enemy nation defeated by Dawid.
- וַֽיְמַדְּדֵ֤ם (va-yemaddedem) – Root: מדד (madad); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3ms + 3mp suffix; Translation: “and he measured them”; Notes: Precision in determining fate.
- בַּחֶ֨בֶל (ba-ḥevel) – Root: חבל (ḥevel); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with article; Translation: “with a rope”; Notes: Tool used for measuring.
- הַשְׁכֵּ֣ב (hashkev) – Root: שׁכב (shakav); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with article; Translation: “to make [them] lie down”; Notes: Describes the act before measuring.
- אֹותָ֣ם (otam) – Root: —; Form: Accusative pronoun 3mp; Translation: “them”; Notes: Object of the infinitive.
- אַרְצָה (artzah) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun feminine singular in directional form; Translation: “on the ground”; Notes: Indicates physical posture.
- וַיְמַדֵּ֤ד (va-yemadded) – Root: מדד (madad); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he measured”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- שְׁנֵֽי־חֲבָלִים (shenei-ḥavalim) – Root: חבל (ḥevel); Form: Dual construct + noun masculine plural; Translation: “two lines”; Notes: Tools for judgment.
- לְהָמִ֔ית (le-hamit) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to put to death”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- וּמְלֹ֥א הַחֶ֖בֶל (u-melo ha-ḥevel) – Root: מלא (male); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + definite noun; Translation: “and one full line”; Notes: Contrasts previous measurement.
- לְהַחֲיֹ֑ות (le-haḥayot) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to keep alive”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- וַתְּהִ֤י (va-tehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3fs; Translation: “and it became”; Notes: Refers to Moʾav.
- מֹואָב֙ (Moʾav) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Feminine singular; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- לְדָוִ֔ד (le-Dawid) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Dawid”; Notes: Indicates subjection.
- לַעֲבָדִ֖ים (la-ʿavadim) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with article; Translation: “as servants”; Notes: Political submission.
- נֹשְׂאֵ֥י מִנְחָֽה (noseʾei minḥah) – Root: נשא (nasa) + מנחה (minḥah); Form: Participle masculine plural + noun feminine singular; Translation: “bearers of tribute”; Notes: Refers to subservient status with payment.