וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ לֹו֩ בַעֲלֵ֨י שְׁכֶ֜ם מְאָרְבִ֗ים עַ֚ל רָאשֵׁ֣י הֶהָרִ֔ים וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲבֹ֥ר עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ פ
And the lords of Shekhem set ambushers against him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who passed by them on the way. And it was told to Avimelekh.
Morphology
- וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ (vayyāśimū) – Root: שים (śim); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they set”; Notes: Indicates an intentional action.
- לֹו֩ (lō) – Root: לו (lō); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for him”; Notes: Refers to Abimelek.
- בַעֲלֵ֨י שְׁכֶ֜ם (baʿalei Shekhem) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the lords of Shekhem”; Notes: The subject of the action.
- מְאָרְבִ֗ים (məʾarbim) – Root: ארב (ʾarab); Form: Participle, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “ambushers”; Notes: Indicates an ongoing activity.
- עַ֚ל רָאשֵׁ֣י הֶהָרִ֔ים (ʿal roshēi heharim) – Root: ראש (rosh) + הר (har); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + definite article; Translation: “on the tops of the mountains”; Notes: Describes location.
- וַיִּגְזְל֗וּ (vayyigzəlū) – Root: גזל (gazar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they robbed”; Notes: Action of the ambushers.
- אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲבֹ֥ר (et kol-ʾasher yaʿavor) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “all who passed”; Notes: Specifies the victims.
- עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (ʿaleihem) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “upon them”; Notes: Refers to the ambushers.
- בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ (baddārekh) – Root: דרך (derek); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Location of the robbery.
- וַיֻּגַּ֖ד (vayyuggad) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hofal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it was told”; Notes: Passive construction.
- לַאֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃ (laʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “to Abimelek”; Notes: The recipient of the news.