וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון בִּלְחִ֣י הַחֲמֹ֔ור חֲמֹ֖ור חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם בִּלְחִ֣י הַחֲמֹ֔ור הִכֵּ֖יתִי אֶ֥לֶף אִֽישׁ׃
And Shimshon said, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, with the jawbone of a donkey I have struck a thousand men.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyōʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shimshon’s speech.
- שִׁמְשֹׁ֔ון (Shimshōn) – Root: שמשון (Shimshōn); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shimshon”; Notes: Name of the biblical figure.
- בִּלְחִ֣י (bi-leḥi) – Root: לחי (leḥi); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “With the jawbone”; Notes: Refers to the weapon used.
- הַחֲמֹ֔ור (ha-ḥamor) – Root: חמור (ḥamor); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of a donkey”; Notes: Specifies the type of jawbone.
- חֲמֹ֖ור (ḥamor) – Root: חמור (ḥamor); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “heap”; Notes: A wordplay on “donkey” and “heap.”
- חֲמֹרָתָ֑יִם (ḥamoratayim) – Root: חמור (ḥamor); Form: Dual noun; Translation: “heaps”; Notes: Emphasizes piling up.
- בִּלְחִ֣י (bi-leḥi) – Root: לחי (leḥi); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “With the jawbone”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- הַחֲמֹ֔ור (ha-ḥamor) – Root: חמור (ḥamor); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of a donkey”; Notes: Repeated phrase.
- הִכֵּ֖יתִי (hikkēyti) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have struck”; Notes: Indicates completed action.
- אֶ֥לֶף (elef) – Root: אלף (elef); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a thousand”; Notes: Numerical value.
- אִֽישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Used collectively for a group.