וַיָּבֹ֣א גִ֠דְעֹון וּמֵאָה־אִ֨ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּ֜ו בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה רֹ֚אשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַתִּֽיכֹונָ֔ה אַ֛ךְ הָקֵ֥ם הֵקִ֖ימוּ אֶת־הַשֹּֽׁמְרִ֑ים וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙ בַּשֹּׁ֣ופָרֹ֔ות וְנָפֹ֥וץ הַכַּדִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּיָדָֽם׃
And Gideʿon and the hundred men who were with him came to the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just as they had set up the guards, and they blew the shofars and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹ֣א (va-yavo) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he came”; Notes: Refers to Gidʿon arriving.
- גִ֠דְעֹון (Gidʿon) – Root: גדעון (G-d-ʿ-n); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gidʿon”; Notes: Name of the Israelite leader.
- וּמֵאָה־אִ֨ישׁ (u-meʾah-ish) – Root: מאה (m-ʾ-h), איש (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Numeral + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and a hundred men”; Notes: Specifies the size of the group.
- אֲשֶׁר־אִתֹּ֜ו (asher-itto) – Root: את (ʾ-t); Form: Relative pronoun + prepositional phrase; Translation: “who were with him”; Notes: Identifies the companions of Gidʿon.
- בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה (biqtze ha-maḥaneh) – Root: קצה (q-tz-h), מחנה (m-ḥ-n-h); Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “at the edge of the camp”; Notes: Indicates the location.
- רֹ֚אשׁ הָאַשְׁמֹ֣רֶת הַתִּֽיכֹונָ֔ה (rosh ha-ashmoret ha-tikhonah) – Root: ראש (r-ʾ-sh), אשמורת (ʾ-sh-m-r-t), תיכון (t-y-k-n); Form: Noun construct; Translation: “at the beginning of the middle watch”; Notes: Refers to the night divisions for guarding.
- אַ֛ךְ הָקֵ֥ם הֵקִ֖ימוּ (akh haqem heqimu) – Root: קום (q-w-m); Form: Adverb + Hiphil infinitive absolute + Hiphil perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “just as they had set up”; Notes: Emphasizes simultaneity.
- אֶת־הַשֹּֽׁמְרִ֑ים (et-ha-shomrim) – Root: שמר (sh-m-r); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the guards”; Notes: Refers to the watchmen.
- וַֽיִּתְקְעוּ֙ (va-yitqeu) – Root: תקע (t-q-ʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they blew”; Notes: Describes the action of sounding the shofars.
- בַּשֹּׁ֣ופָרֹ֔ות (ba-shofarot) – Root: שופר (sh-w-p-r); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the shofars”; Notes: Used as a war signal.
- וְנָפֹ֥וץ (ve-nafotz) – Root: נפץ (n-p-tz); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and they smashed”; Notes: Describes the breaking of the pitchers.
- הַכַּדִּ֖ים (ha-kadim) – Root: כד (k-d); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the pitchers”; Notes: Clay vessels used in the strategy.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּיָדָֽם (asher be-yadam) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Relative clause; Translation: “that were in their hands”; Notes: Specifies possession.