וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ וַיַּאַסְפ֜וּ אֶת־כָּל־סַרְנֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ שַׁלְּח֞וּ אֶת־אֲרֹ֨ון אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לִמְקֹמֹ֔ו וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֖י וְאֶת־עַמִּ֑י כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֤ה מְהֽוּמַת־מָ֨וֶת֙ בְּכָל־הָעִ֔יר כָּבְדָ֥ה מְאֹ֛ד יַ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים שָֽׁם׃
And they sent and gathered all the rulers of the Pelishtim, and they said, “Send away the Ark of the God of Yisraʾel, and let it return to its place, so that it does not kill me and my people.” For there was a panic of death throughout the entire city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ (vay-yishleḥu) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they sent”; Notes: Sequential action in the narrative.
- וַיַּאַסְפ֜וּ (vay-yaʾasfu) – Root: אסף (asaf); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they gathered”; Notes: Gathering for consultation.
- אֶת־כָּל־סַרְנֵ֣י (et-kol-sarne) – Root: סר (sar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “all the rulers of”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of the Philistines.
- פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁ (palash); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: The Philistines.
- וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (vay-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Introduction to direct speech.
- שַׁלְּח֞וּ (shalleḥu) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Send away”; Notes: Strong command.
- אֶת־אֲרֹ֨ון (et-ʾaron) – Root: ארון (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the Ark”; Notes: Direct object marker (אֶת) emphasizes the object.
- אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (ʾElohei Yisraʾel) – Root: אלהים (ʾElohim) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “the God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies divine ownership.
- וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (ve-yashov) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and let it return”; Notes: Volitional force expressing intention.
- לִמְקֹמֹ֔ו (limkomo) – Root: מקום (maqom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to its place”; Notes: Refers to its original resting place.
- וְלֹֽא־יָמִ֥ית (ve-lo yamit) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “so that it does not kill”; Notes: Fear of divine punishment.
- אֹתִ֖י (oti) – Root: את (ʾot); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “me”; Notes: The speaker fears personal harm.
- וְאֶת־עַמִּ֑י (ve-et-ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my people”; Notes: Extends the concern to the whole nation.
- כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֤ה (ki-haytah) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “for there was”; Notes: Introduction to a reason.
- מְהֽוּמַת־מָ֨וֶת֙ (mehumat-mavet) – Root: הומה (hum) + מות (mut); Form: Noun construct; Translation: “a panic of death”; Notes: Indicates extreme terror.
- בְּכָל־הָעִ֔יר (bekhol-haʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “throughout the entire city”; Notes: Emphasizes the scope of fear.
- כָּבְדָ֥ה (kavdah) – Root: כבד (kaved); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “was heavy”; Notes: Describes the weight of divine punishment.
- מְאֹ֛ד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Intensifies the severity.
- יַ֥ד הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (yad ha-ʾElohim) – Root: יד (yad) + אלהים (ʾElohim); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “the hand of God”; Notes: Metaphor for divine judgment.
- שָֽׁם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Locates the event.