וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁ֗י אַתָּ֣ה יָ֠דַעְתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו כִּ֧י גִבֹּרִ֣ים הֵ֗מָּה וּמָרֵ֥י נֶ֨פֶשׁ֙ הֵ֔מָּה כְּדֹ֥ב שַׁכּ֖וּל בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וְאָבִ֨יךָ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִלְחָמָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א יָלִ֖ין אֶת־הָעָֽם׃
And Ḥushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men and bitter of soul, like a bear bereaved in the field. And your father is a man of war, and he will not lodge the people overnight.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks the start of Ḥushai’s speech.
- חוּשַׁ֗י (Ḥushai) – Root: חושי; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ḥushai”; Notes: Speaker of the verse.
- אַתָּ֣ה (attah) – Root: אתה; Form: Pronoun, 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “you”; Notes: Direct address to Avshalom.
- יָ֠דַעְתָּ (yadata) – Root: ידע; Form: Qal perfect 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “know”; Notes: Past knowledge assumed of the hearer.
- אֶת־אָבִ֨יךָ (et-avikha) – Root: אב; Form: Object marker + noun with 2ms suffix; Translation: “your father”; Notes: Direct object of “know.”
- וְאֶת־אֲנָשָׁ֜יו (ve-et-anashav) – Root: אנש; Form: Object marker + plural noun with 3ms suffix; Translation: “and his men”; Notes: Companion object of “know.”
- כִּ֧י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a causal or explanatory clause.
- גִבֹּרִ֣ים (gibborim) – Root: גבר; Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “mighty men”; Notes: Describes Dawid’s warriors.
- הֵ֗מָּה (hemmah) – Root: הם; Form: Pronoun, 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphatic subject reference.
- וּמָרֵ֥י (u-marei) – Root: מרה; Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “bitter”; Notes: Describes emotional state.
- נֶ֨פֶשׁ (nefesh) – Root: נפש; Form: Noun, feminine singular in construct; Translation: “of soul”; Notes: Refers to psychological distress.
- הֵ֔מָּה (hemmah) – Root: הם; Form: Pronoun, 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Reiterates the subject.
- כְּדֹ֥ב (ke-dov) – Root: דוב; Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “like a bear”; Notes: Simile describing ferocity.
- שַׁכּ֖וּל (shakkul) – Root: שׁכל; Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “bereaved”; Notes: Refers to a loss of offspring.
- בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה (ba-sadeh) – Root: שׂדה; Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article and preposition; Translation: “in the field”; Notes: Completes the simile.
- וְאָבִ֨יךָ (ve-avikha) – Root: אב; Form: Conjunction + noun with 2ms suffix; Translation: “and your father”; Notes: New clause focusing again on Dawid.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Introduces his role.
- מִלְחָמָ֔ה (milḥamah) – Root: לחם; Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “of war”; Notes: Construct phrase “a man of war.”
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces negated clause.
- יָלִ֖ין (yalin) – Root: לון; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he will lodge”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s behavior.
- אֶת־הָעָֽם (et-haʿam) – Root: עם; Form: Object marker + definite noun; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “lodge.” Implies Dawid will not remain with his people in a vulnerable position.