וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־צֵדָה֩ הָעָ֨ם בְּיָדָ֜ם וְאֵ֣ת שֹׁופְרֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ שִׁלַּח֙ אִ֣ישׁ לְאֹֽהָלָ֔יו וּבִשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאֹ֥ות הָאִ֖ישׁ הֶֽחֱזִ֑יק וּמַחֲנֵ֣ה מִדְיָ֔ן הָ֥יָה לֹ֖ו מִתַּ֥חַת בָּעֵֽמֶק׃ פ
And they took the provisions of the people in their hands, and their trumpets, and every man of Yisraʾel he sent away, each to his tent. But with the three hundred men he held fast, while the camp of Midyan was below him in the valley.
Morphology
- וַיִּקְח֣וּ (va-yiqḥu) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And they took”; Notes: Indicates completed action in narrative.
- אֶת־צֵדָה֩ (et-tsedah) – Root: צדה (tsedah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the provisions”; Notes: Refers to food or supplies.
- הָעָ֨ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Collective noun.
- בְּיָדָ֜ם (be-yadam) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “in their hands”; Notes: Idiomatic for possession.
- וְאֵ֣ת שֹׁופְרֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם (ve-et shofroteihem) – Root: שופר (shofar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their trumpets”; Notes: Ram’s horns used for signaling.
- וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ (ve-et kol-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and every man”; Notes: Refers to all the troops.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The nation of Israel.
- שִׁלַּח֙ (shillaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he sent away”; Notes: Emphasizes the act of dismissal.
- אִ֣ישׁ לְאֹֽהָלָ֔יו (ish le-ohalav) – Root: אוהל (ʾohel); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “each to his tent”; Notes: Refers to returning home.
- וּבִשְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאֹ֥ות (u-vi-shlosh-meʾot) – Root: שלש (shalosh) + מאות (meʾot); Form: Cardinal number; Translation: “with three hundred”; Notes: Refers to the chosen soldiers.
- הָאִ֖ישׁ (ha-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Refers to the chosen warriors.
- הֶֽחֱזִ֑יק (heḥeziq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he held fast”; Notes: Indicates maintaining control.
- וּמַחֲנֵ֣ה מִדְיָ֔ן (u-maḥane Midyan) – Root: מחנה (maḥane) + מדין (Midyan); Form: Noun construct phrase; Translation: “and the camp of Midyan”; Notes: Refers to the enemy’s camp.
- הָ֥יָה לֹ֖ו (hayah lo) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with prepositional phrase; Translation: “was for him”; Notes: Describes location in relation to Gidʿon.
- מִתַּ֥חַת בָּעֵֽמֶק (mi-taḥat ba-ʿemeq) – Root: תחת (taḥat) + עמק (ʿemeq); Form: Preposition with noun; Translation: “below in the valley”; Notes: Indicates strategic position.