וַיְהִ֗י מִסְפַּ֞ר הַֽמֲלַקְקִ֤ים בְּיָדָם֙ אֶל־פִּיהֶ֔ם שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ות אִ֑ישׁ וְכֹל֙ יֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם כָּרְע֥וּ עַל־בִּרְכֵיהֶ֖ם לִשְׁתֹּ֥ות מָֽיִם׃ ס
And the number of those who lapped with their hands to their mouths was three hundred men, but all the rest of the people kneeled on their knees to drink water.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֗י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event.
- מִסְפַּ֞ר (mispar) – Root: ספר (safar); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “number”; Notes: Specifies the count.
- הַֽמֲלַקְקִ֤ים (ha-malaqqeqim) – Root: לקק (laqaq); Form: Qal participle masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “those who lapped”; Notes: Describes a specific group.
- בְּיָדָם֙ (beyadam) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition and 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with their hands”; Notes: Instrumental usage.
- אֶל־פִּיהֶ֔ם (el-pihehem) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to their mouths”; Notes: Indicates direction of action.
- שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ות (shelosh meʾot) – Root: שלש (shalosh) + מאות (meʾot); Form: Cardinal number; Translation: “three hundred”; Notes: Specifies the number of men.
- אִ֑ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Specifies the subject.
- וְכֹל֙ (ve-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, singular construct; Translation: “but all”; Notes: Introduces contrast.
- יֶ֣תֶר (yeter) – Root: יתר (yeter); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “the rest”; Notes: Describes those not in the first group.
- הָעָ֔ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: The remainder of the group.
- כָּרְע֥וּ (karʿu) – Root: כרע (karaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “kneeled”; Notes: Describes their action.
- עַל־בִּרְכֵיהֶ֖ם (ʿal-birkheihem) – Root: ברך (berekh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “on their knees”; Notes: Position of the action.
- לִשְׁתֹּ֥ות (lishtot) – Root: שתה (shatah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to drink”; Notes: Expresses purpose.
- מָֽיִם (mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “water”; Notes: Object of the drinking action.