וּמַלְאָכִ֡ים שָׁלַ֣ח גִּדְעֹון֩ בְּכָל־הַ֨ר אֶפְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְד֞וּ לִקְרַ֤את מִדְיָן֙ וְלִכְד֤וּ לָהֶם֙ אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֛ד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיִּצָּעֵ֞ק כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ וַיִּלְכְּד֣וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם עַ֛ד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃
And Gideʿon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Efrayim, saying, “Go down to meet Midyan and capture the waters against them, as far as Beit-Bara and the Yarden.” And all the men of Efrayim were summoned, and they captured the waters as far as Beit-Bara and the Yarden.
Morphology
- וּמַלְאָכִ֡ים (u-malaʾkhim) – Root: מלאך (m-l-ʾ-kh); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “Messengers”; Notes: Can refer to human messengers or divine angels, contextually human here.
- שָׁלַ֣ח (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Sent”; Notes: Indicates completed action.
- גִּדְעֹון֩ (Gidʿon) – Root: גדע (g-d-ʿ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gidʿon”; Notes: The judge of Yisraʾel leading the campaign.
- בְּכָל־הַ֨ר אֶפְרַ֜יִם (be-khol har Efrayim) – Root: הר (h-r) + אפרים (ʾ-p-r-y-m); Form: Prepositional phrase with proper noun; Translation: “Throughout the hill country of Efrayim”; Notes: Efrayim, a prominent tribe of Yisraʾel.
- לֵאמֹ֗ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- רְד֞וּ (rədū) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Go down”; Notes: Command given to the men of Efrayim.
- לִקְרַ֤את (liqrat) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “To meet”; Notes: Denotes an action of confrontation.
- מִדְיָן֙ (Midyan) – Root: מדין (m-d-y-n); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Midyan”; Notes: Refers to the enemy nation.
- וְלִכְד֤וּ (ve-liḵdəū) – Root: לכד (l-k-d); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “And capture”; Notes: Another command.
- לָהֶם֙ (lahem) – Root: הם (h-m); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “Against them”; Notes: Refers to the Midianites.
- אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם (et-ha-mayim) – Root: מים (m-y-m); Form: Definite direct object; Translation: “The waters”; Notes: Likely referring to strategic control of water sources.
- עַד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה (ʿad Beit-Bara) – Root: בית (b-y-t) + ברה (b-r-h); Form: Prepositional phrase with proper noun; Translation: “As far as Beit-Bara”; Notes: A location near the Yarden River.
- וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (ve-et ha-Yarden) – Root: ירדן (y-r-d-n); Form: Definite direct object; Translation: “And the Yarden”; Notes: Refers to the Jordan River.
- וַיִּצָּעֵ֞ק (va-yitsṣaʿeq) – Root: צעק (ts-ʿ-q); Form: Nifal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And was summoned”; Notes: Indicates an urgent rallying call.
- כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ אֶפְרַ֨יִם֙ (kol-ʾish Efrayim) – Root: כל (k-l) + איש (ʾ-ʾ-sh) + אפרים (ʾ-p-r-y-m); Form: Noun construct phrase; Translation: “All the men of Efrayim”; Notes: Refers to the entirety of the tribe’s fighting men.
- וַיִּלְכְּד֣וּ (va-yilqədu) – Root: לכד (l-k-d); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they captured”; Notes: Refers to the seizing of strategic locations.
- אֶת־הַמַּ֔יִם (et-ha-mayim) – Root: מים (m-y-m); Form: Definite direct object; Translation: “The waters”; Notes: Important for controlling enemy movement.
- עַד בֵּ֥ית בָּרָ֖ה (ʿad Beit-Bara) – Root: בית (b-y-t) + ברה (b-r-h); Form: Prepositional phrase with proper noun; Translation: “As far as Beit-Bara”; Notes: Strategic location.
- וְאֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן (ve-et ha-Yarden) – Root: ירדן (y-r-d-n); Form: Definite direct object; Translation: “And the Yarden”; Notes: Refers to the Jordan River, a key geographical barrier.