וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־גִּדְעֹ֔ון רַ֗ב הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔ךְ מִתִּתִּ֥י אֶת־מִדְיָ֖ן בְּיָדָ֑ם פֶּן־יִתְפָּאֵ֨ר עָלַ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יָדִ֖י הֹושִׁ֥יעָה לִּֽי׃
And YHWH said to Gideʿon, “The people who are with you are too many for me to give Midyan into their hand, lest Yisraʾel glorify itself against me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech from YHWH.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: (no root); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- אֶל־גִּדְעֹ֔ון (el-Gidʿon) – Root: גדע (gadaʿ); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Gidʿon”; Notes: Marks the recipient of speech.
- רַ֗ב (rav) – Root: רבב (ravav); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “too many”; Notes: Indicates excessiveness.
- הָעָם֙ (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to Gidʿon’s army.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔ךְ (asher ittakh) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Relative pronoun + preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “who are with you”; Notes: Specifies the people YHWH is referring to.
- מִתִּתִּ֥י (mit-titti) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “for me to give”; Notes: Expresses purpose or causation.
- אֶת־מִדְיָ֖ן (et-Midyan) – Root: מדין (Midyan); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “Midyan”; Notes: The enemy nation.
- בְּיָדָ֑ם (be-yadam) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “into their hand”; Notes: Denotes power or control.
- פֶּן־יִתְפָּאֵ֨ר (pen-yitpaʾer) – Root: פאר (paʾar); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “lest he glorify himself”; Notes: Reflexive action indicating self-praise.
- עָלַ֤י (ʿalay) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “against me”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- יָדִ֖י (yadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “My hand”; Notes: Metaphor for personal strength.
- הֹושִׁ֥יעָה (hoshiʿah) – Root: ישׁע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “has saved”; Notes: Refers to deliverance.
- לִּֽי (li) – Root: (no root); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for me”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel attributing victory to itself.