וְהָיָ֡ה כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣אוּ אֲבֹותָם֩ אֹ֨ו אֲחֵיהֶ֜ם לרוב אֵלֵ֗ינוּ וְאָמַ֤רְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ חָנּ֣וּנוּ אֹותָ֔ם כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָקַ֛חְנוּ אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתֹּ֖ו בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אַתֶּ֛ם נְתַתֶּ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם כָּעֵ֥ת תֶּאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ ס
And it shall be, when their fathers or their brothers come to contend with us, that we shall say to them: ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we did not take each man his wife in the war; for you did not give them to them, so now you are not guilty.’”
Morphology
- וְהָיָ֡ה (vehayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces a conditional or future event.
- כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣אוּ (ki-yavo’u) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “when they come”; Notes: Refers to a future potential situation.
- אֲבֹותָם֩ (avotam) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their fathers”; Notes: Indicates paternal relatives.
- אֹ֨ו אֲחֵיהֶ֜ם (o acheihem) – Root: או (o), אח (ach); Form: Conjunction + noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “or their brothers”; Notes: Specifies alternative family members.
- לרוב (lariv) – Root: ריב (riv); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to contend”; Notes: Indicates dispute or argument.
- אֵלֵ֗ינוּ (eleinu) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Indicates direction or interaction.
- וְאָמַ֤רְנוּ (ve’amarnu) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and we shall say”; Notes: Indicates a response or declaration.
- אֲלֵיהֶם֙ (aleihem) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to those coming to contend.
- חָנּ֣וּנוּ (ḥanunu) – Root: חנן (ḥanan); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “grant graciously”; Notes: A plea for favor.
- אֹותָ֔ם (otam) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the captured women.
- כִּ֣י לֹ֥א לָקַ֛חְנוּ (ki lo laqaḥnu) – Root: לקח (laqaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “because we did not take”; Notes: Provides justification.
- אִ֥ישׁ אִשְׁתֹּ֖ו (ish-ishto) – Root: איש (ish), אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, masculine singular + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “each man his wife”; Notes: Expresses individual marriage.
- בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (bammilḥamah) – Root: מלחמה (milḥamah); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite with preposition; Translation: “in the war”; Notes: Indicates context.
- כִּ֣י לֹ֥א אַתֶּ֛ם (ki lo atem) – Root: לא (lo), אתם (atem); Form: Negative particle + pronoun; Translation: “for you did not”; Notes: Emphasizes their lack of direct involvement.
- נְתַתֶּ֥ם (netattem) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “give”; Notes: Refers to the act of offering brides.
- לָהֶ֖ם (lahem) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the men of Binyamin.
- כָּעֵ֥ת (ka’et) – Root: עת (et); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “at this time”; Notes: Indicates present circumstances.
- תֶּאְשָֽׁמוּ (te’ashamu) – Root: אשם (asham); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall not be guilty”; Notes: Exoneration from blame.