וַיֹּ֤אמֶר גִּדְעֹון֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים אַל־יִ֤חַר אַפְּךָ֙ בִּ֔י וַאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה אַ֣ךְ הַפָּ֑עַם אֲנַסֶּ֤ה נָּא־רַק־הַפַּ֨עַם֙ בַּגִּזָּ֔ה יְהִי־נָ֨א חֹ֤רֶב אֶל־הַגִּזָּה֙ לְבַדָּ֔הּ וְעַל־כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ יִֽהְיֶה־טָּֽל׃
And Gideʿon said to the God, “Let not Your anger be kindled against me, and I will speak just this once. Let me test, I pray, only this time with the fleece: let there be dryness on the fleece alone, and on all the land let there be dew.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Gidʿon’s speech.
- גִּדְעֹון֙ (Gidʿon) – Root: גדעון (Gidʿon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gidʿon”; Notes: Name of the Israelite judge.
- אֶל־הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים (el-ha-Elohim) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Preposition + definite noun, masculine plural in form but singular in meaning; Translation: “to the Elohim”; Notes: Refers to God.
- אַל־יִ֤חַר (ʾal-yiḥar) – Root: חרה (ḥarah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “Let not be kindled”; Notes: Expresses a plea.
- אַפְּךָ֙ (ʾappekha) – Root: אף (ʾaf); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “Your anger”; Notes: Refers to divine wrath.
- בִּ֔י (bi) – Root: (no root); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “against me”; Notes: Expresses direction of the anger.
- וַאֲדַבְּרָ֖ה (va-ʾadabberah) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel cohortative 1st person singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and I will speak”; Notes: Expresses intention.
- אַ֣ךְ הַפָּ֑עַם (ʾakh ha-paʿam) – Root: פעם (paʿam); Form: Adverb + noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “just this once”; Notes: Emphasizes a singular request.
- אֲנַסֶּ֤ה (ʾanasseh) – Root: נסה (nasah); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “let me test”; Notes: Refers to Gidʿon’s request for confirmation.
- נָּא־רַק־הַפַּ֨עַם֙ (naʾ-raq-ha-paʿam) – Root: פעם (paʿam); Form: Adverbial phrase; Translation: “I pray, only this time”; Notes: Adds emphasis and humility.
- בַּגִּזָּ֔ה (ba-gizzah) – Root: גזה (gizzah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “with the fleece”; Notes: Specifies the object of the test.
- יְהִי־נָ֨א (yehi-na) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect jussive 3rd person masculine singular with paragogic nun; Translation: “let there be”; Notes: Expresses a request.
- חֹ֤רֶב (ḥorev) – Root: חרב (ḥarab); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “dryness”; Notes: Opposite of dew.
- אֶל־הַגִּזָּה֙ (el-ha-gizzah) – Root: גזה (gizzah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition and definite article; Translation: “on the fleece”; Notes: Specifies where the dryness should be.
- לְבַדָּ֔הּ (levaddah) – Root: (no root); Form: Adverb with feminine singular suffix; Translation: “alone”; Notes: Emphasizes exclusivity.
- וְעַל־כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ (ve-ʿal-kol-ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾaretz); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition and definite article; Translation: “and on all the land”; Notes: Contrasts with the fleece.
- יִֽהְיֶה־טָּֽל (yihyeh-tal) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + noun; Translation: “let there be dew”; Notes: Expresses a request.