וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹונָתָ֜ן אֶל־הַנַּ֣עַר נֹשֵׂ֣א כֵלָ֗יו לְכָה֙ וְנַעְבְּרָ֗ה אֶל־מַצַּב֙ הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה לָ֑נוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין לַֽיהוָה֙ מַעְצֹ֔ור לְהֹושִׁ֥יעַ בְּרַ֖ב אֹ֥ו בִמְעָֽט׃
And Yehonatan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps YHWH will act for us, for there is no restraint for YHWH to save by many or by few.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- יְהֹונָתָ֜ן (Yehonatan) – Root: יונתן (Yehonatan); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “Yehonatan”; Notes: Refers to the son of Shaʾul.
- אֶל־הַנַּ֣עַר (el-ha-naʿar) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with preposition and definite article; Translation: “to the young man”; Notes: Refers to his armor-bearer.
- נֹשֵׂ֣א (nose) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine singular absolute; Translation: “who bore”; Notes: Describes his role.
- כֵלָ֗יו (kelav) – Root: כלי (keli); Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his armor”; Notes: Refers to weapons or equipment.
- לְכָה֙ (lekha) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Come”; Notes: Direct command.
- וְנַעְבְּרָ֗ה (ve-naʿberah) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us cross over”; Notes: Expresses intention.
- אֶל־מַצַּב֙ (el-matsav) – Root: נצב (natsav); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with preposition; Translation: “to the garrison”; Notes: Refers to a military outpost.
- הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים (ha-ʿarelim) – Root: ערל (ʿarel); Form: Adjective, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “the uncircumcised ones”; Notes: Derogatory reference to non-Israelites.
- הָאֵ֔לֶּה (ha-elleh) – Root: אלה (elleh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “these”; Notes: Specifies the Pelishtim.
- אוּלַ֛י (ʾulay) – Root: אולי (ʾulay); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Expresses uncertainty.
- יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה (yaʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will act”; Notes: Refers to divine intervention.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton.
- לָ֑נוּ (lanu) – Root: לנו (lanu); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Indicates benefit.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- אֵ֤ין (ʾein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Negative existential; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Expresses negation.
- לַֽיהוָה֙ (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, singular with preposition; Translation: “for YHWH”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- מַעְצֹ֔ור (maʿtsor) – Root: עצור (ʿatsor); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “restraint”; Notes: Indicates limitation.
- לְהֹושִׁ֥יעַ (le-hoshiʿa) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to save”; Notes: Denotes divine action.
- בְּרַ֖ב (be-rav) – Root: רב (rav); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with preposition; Translation: “by many”; Notes: Contrasts quantity.
- אֹ֥ו (o) – Root: או (o); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Connects alternatives.
- בִמְעָֽט׃ (bi-meʿat) – Root: מעט (meʿat); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with preposition; Translation: “by few”; Notes: Contrasts quantity.