וַתִּרְא֗וּ כִּֽי־נָחָ֞שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמֹּון֮ בָּ֣א עֲלֵיכֶם֒ וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י לֹ֕א כִּי־מֶ֖לֶךְ יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃
And you saw that Naḥash, the king of the sons of ʿAmmon, came against you, and you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ while YHWH your God was your King.
Morphology
- וַתִּרְא֗וּ (vattirʾu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “And you saw”; Notes: Indicates past observation.
- כִּֽי־נָחָ֞שׁ (ki-Naḥash) – Root: נחש (Naḥash); Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “that Naḥash”; Notes: Name of the king of ʿAmmon.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמֹּון֮ (melekh bnei-ʿAmmon) – Root: מלך (melekh), עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “the king of the sons of ʿAmmon”; Notes: Describes the ruler of the ʿAmmonites.
- בָּ֣א עֲלֵיכֶם֒ (baʾ aleikhem) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + preposition; Translation: “came against you”; Notes: Refers to an invasion.
- וַתֹּ֣אמְרוּ (vattomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you said”; Notes: Their response to the threat.
- לִ֔י (li) – Root: לי (li); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to Shemuʾel.
- לֹ֕א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “No”; Notes: Strong rejection.
- כִּי־מֶ֖לֶךְ (ki-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Conjunction + noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “but a king”; Notes: Contrasts their demand.
- יִמְלֹ֣ךְ עָלֵ֑ינוּ (yimlokh aleinu) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + preposition; Translation: “shall reign over us”; Notes: Expresses their desire.
- וַיהוָ֥ה (va-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “while YHWH”; Notes: Contrasts human kingship with divine kingship.
- אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם (Eloheikhem) – Root: אלהים (ʾElohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as their true ruler.
- מַלְכְּכֶֽם׃ (malkekhem) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “was your King”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s kingship over Yisraʾel.