וַיְצַו֩ אַבְשָׁלֹ֨ום אֶת־נְעָרָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר רְא֣וּ נָ֠א כְּטֹ֨וב לֵב־אַמְנֹ֤ון בַּיַּ֨יִן֙ וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם הַכּ֧וּ אֶת־אַמְנֹ֛ון וַהֲמִתֶּ֥ם אֹתֹ֖ו אַל־תִּירָ֑אוּ הֲלֹ֗וא כִּ֤י אָֽנֹכִי֙ צִוִּ֣יתִי אֶתְכֶ֔ם חִזְק֖וּ וִהְי֥וּ לִבְנֵי־חָֽיִל׃
And Avshalom commanded his young men, saying, “Now watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong and be sons of valor.”
Morphology
- וַיְצַו֩ (va-yetsav) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he commanded”; Notes: Strong authoritative directive.
- אַבְשָׁלֹ֨ום (ʾAvshalom) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular proper name; Translation: “Avshalom”; Notes: Subject of the command.
- אֶת־נְעָרָ֜יו (et-neʿarav) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Accusative particle + masculine plural noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his young men”; Notes: Direct object of the command.
- לֵאמֹ֗ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- רְא֣וּ (reʾu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “see”; Notes: Command to observe carefully.
- נָ֠א (na) – Root: Particle of entreaty; Form: Interjection; Translation: “now”; Notes: Adds urgency or politeness.
- כְטֹ֨וב (khetov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Preposition + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “when it is good”; Notes: Idiomatically, “when he is merry.”
- לֵב־אַמְנֹ֤ון (lev-ʾAmnon) – Root: לב (lev) + proper noun; Form: Construct chain; Translation: “the heart of Amnon”; Notes: Refers to his emotional state.
- בַּיַּ֨יִן (ba-yayin) – Root: יין (yayin); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “with wine”; Notes: Indicates drunkenness or festivity.
- וְאָמַרְתִּ֣י (ve-amarti) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunction + Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I say”; Notes: Refers to future speech.
- אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (aleikhem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Direct address to the servants.
- הַכּ֧וּ (hakku) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “strike”; Notes: Violent action command.
- אֶת־אַמְנֹ֛ון (et-ʾAmnon) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Accusative marker + proper name; Translation: “Amnon”; Notes: Direct object of “strike.”
- וַהֲמִתֶּ֥ם (va-hamitem) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and you shall kill”; Notes: Expresses outcome of the action.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Accusative marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers again to Amnon.
- אַל־תִּירָ֑אוּ (ʾal-tiraʾu) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “do not fear”; Notes: Encouragement to act without hesitation.
- הֲלֹ֗וא (halo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Is it not”; Notes: Rhetorical introduction.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Gives reason.
- אָֽנֹכִי֙ (anokhi) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic subject.
- צִוִּ֣יתִי (tsivviti) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “have commanded”; Notes: Reinforces authority.
- אֶתְכֶ֔ם (etkhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Accusative marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “command.”
- חִזְק֖וּ (ḥizqu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “be strong”; Notes: Common exhortation phrase.
- וִהְי֥וּ (vi-hyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and be”; Notes: Parallels “be strong.”
- לִבְנֵי־חָֽיִל (livnei-ḥayil) – Root: בן (ben) + חיל (ḥayil); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “sons of valor”; Notes: Expression of courage and strength.