וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ בְּנֵי־דָ֔ן אַל־תַּשְׁמַ֥ע קֹולְךָ֖ עִמָּ֑נוּ פֶּֽן־יִפְגְּע֣וּ בָכֶ֗ם אֲנָשִׁים֙ מָ֣רֵי נֶ֔פֶשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ֥ה נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃
And the sons of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men attack you, and you lose your life and the life of your household.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Refers to the sons of Dan.
- אֵלָיו֙ (ʾelav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Mikhah.
- בְּנֵי־דָ֔ן (bene-Dan) – Root: בן (ben) + דן (Dan); Form: Construct noun, masculine plural with proper name; Translation: “The sons of Dan”; Notes: Identifies the speakers.
- אַל־תַּשְׁמַ֥ע (ʾal-tashmaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect jussive 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Do not let be heard”; Notes: A command prohibiting speaking.
- קֹולְךָ֖ (qolkha) – Root: קול (qol); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your voice”; Notes: Directs speech at Mikhah.
- עִמָּ֑נוּ (ʿimmānu) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “among us”; Notes: Refers to the sons of Dan.
- פֶּֽן־יִפְגְּע֣וּ (pen-yifgeʿu) – Root: פגע (pagaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “lest they attack”; Notes: Expresses a warning.
- בָכֶ֗ם (bakhem) – Root: בכם (bakhem); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Directs the warning.
- אֲנָשִׁים֙ (ʾanashim) – Root: אנש (ʾenosh); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “men”; Notes: Describes the potential attackers.
- מָ֣רֵי נֶ֔פֶשׁ (mare-nefesh) – Root: מרה (marah) + נפש (nefesh); Form: Adjective + noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “angry men”; Notes: Describes their temperament.
- וְאָסַפְתָּ֥ה (veʾasafta) – Root: אסף (asaf); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you will lose”; Notes: Implies being killed.
- נַפְשְׁךָ֖ (nafshkha) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your life”; Notes: Refers to Mikhah’s life.
- וְנֶ֥פֶשׁ בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃ (venephesh beytekha) – Root: נפש (nefesh) + בית (bayit); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and the life of your household”; Notes: Extends the warning to his family.