וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־אֲבִישַׁ֔י עַתָּ֗ה יֵ֧רַֽע לָ֛נוּ שֶׁ֥בַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִ֖י מִן־אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ום אַ֠תָּה קַ֞ח אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י אֲדֹנֶ֨יךָ֙ וּרְדֹ֣ף אַחֲרָ֔יו פֶּן־מָ֥צָא לֹ֛ו עָרִ֥ים בְּצֻרֹ֖ות וְהִצִּ֥יל עֵינֵֽנוּ׃
And Dawid said to Avishai, “Now Sheva son of Bikhri will do us more harm than Avshalom. You, take the servants of your lord and pursue after him, lest he find for himself fortified cities and deliver himself from our sight.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative continuation.
- דָּוִד (Dawid) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- אֶל־אֲבִישַׁי (el-Avishai) – Root: אבישי; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Avishai”; Notes: The addressee, Dawid’s commander.
- עַתָּה (ʿattah) – Root: עת; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Indicates urgency or present time.
- יֵרַע (yeraʿ) – Root: רעע; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he will do harm”; Notes: Refers to causing evil or trouble.
- לָנוּ (lanu) – Root: ל + אנו; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “to us”; Notes: Indicates the object of the harm.
- שֶׁבַע בֶּן־בִּכְרִי (Sheva ben-Bikhri) – Form: Proper noun + construct; Translation: “Sheva son of Bikhri”; Notes: Rebel leader.
- מִן־אַבְשָׁלֹם (min-Avshalom) – Root: אבשלום; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “than Avshalom”; Notes: Comparative phrase indicating greater danger.
- אַתָּה (attah) – Form: Pronoun, 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “You”; Notes: Subject of the imperative verb.
- קַח (qaḥ) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperative 2nd masculine singular; Translation: “take”; Notes: Command to Avishai.
- אֶת־עַבְדֵי אֲדֹנֶיךָ (et-ʿavdei adonekha) – Root: עבד, אדן; Form: Accusative + construct plural + 2nd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “the servants of your lord”; Notes: Likely refers to Dawid’s troops.
- וּרְדֹף (ur’dof) – Root: רדף; Form: Imperative Qal 2nd masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and pursue”; Notes: Sequential command.
- אַחֲרָיו (aḥarav) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “after him”; Notes: Refers to Sheva.
- פֶּן (pen) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “lest”; Notes: Introduces feared consequence.
- מָצָא (matza) – Root: מצא; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he finds”; Notes: Potential action of Sheva.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: ל + הוא; Form: Preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for himself”; Notes: Indicates benefit or use.
- עָרִים בְּצֻרוֹת (ʿarim be-tzurot) – Roots: עיר, צור; Form: Noun plural + passive participle feminine plural; Translation: “fortified cities”; Notes: Indicates secure refuge.
- וְהִצִּיל (vehitstzil) – Root: נצל; Form: Hifil perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he will deliver/save”; Notes: Refers to Sheva escaping pursuit.
- עֵינֵנוּ (eineinu) – Root: עין; Form: Noun feminine plural + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our eyes”; Notes: Idiom meaning “from our sight” or “from us.”