וַיִּבְקְעוּ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִ֜ים בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַ֨יִם֙ מִבֹּ֤אר בֵּֽית־לֶ֨חֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיִּשְׂא֖וּ וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ לִשְׁתֹּותָ֔ם וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְ אֹתָ֖ם לַֽיהוָֽה׃
And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Pelishtim, and they drew water from the well of Beit-leḥem that is by the gate, and they carried and brought it to Dawid. But he was not willing to drink it, and he poured it out to YHWH.
Morphology
- וַיִּבְקְעוּ (vayyivqəʿu) – Root: בקע; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they broke through”; Notes: Refers to forcefully breaching enemy lines.
- שְׁלֹשֶׁת (sheloshet) – Root: שלש; Form: Construct numeral masculine; Translation: “three of”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession by the following noun.
- הַגִּבֹּרִים (ha-gibborim) – Root: גבר; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the mighty men”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s elite warriors.
- בְּמַחֲנֵה (be-maḥaneh) – Root: חנה; Form: Preposition + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “into the camp of”; Notes: Indicates the location they penetrated.
- פְלִשְׁתִּים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשׁת; Form: Proper noun masculine plural; Translation: “Pelishtim”; Notes: Traditional enemies of Yisraʾel.
- וַיִּשְׁאֲבוּ (vayyishʾəvu) – Root: שׁאב; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they drew”; Notes: Refers to drawing water.
- מַיִם (mayim) – Root: –; Form: Noun masculine dual (plural in form); Translation: “water”; Notes: Object of the verb “drew.”
- מִבֹּאר (mi-bōʾer) – Root: באר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the well”; Notes: Source of the water.
- בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beit-Leḥem) – Root: –; Form: Construct proper noun; Translation: “Beit Leḥem”; Notes: Dawid’s birthplace and target location.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a modifying clause.
- בַּשַּׁעַר (ba-shaʿar) – Root: שער; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “at the gate”; Notes: Indicates location of the well.
- וַיִּשְׂאוּ (vayyisʾu) – Root: נשא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they carried”; Notes: Action following the drawing of water.
- וַיָּבִאוּ (vayyaviʾu) – Root: בוא; Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they brought”; Notes: Completion of the mission.
- אֶל־דָּוִד (el-Dawid) – Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Dawid”; Notes: Recipient of the water.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “but not”; Notes: Introduces a contrast.
- אָבָה (avah) – Root: אבה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he was willing”; Notes: Negated here to express refusal.
- לִשְׁתֹּותָם (lishṭotam) – Root: שׁתה; Form: Infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to drink them”; Notes: Refers to the water.
- וַיַּסֵּךְ (vayyassekh) – Root: נסך; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he poured out”; Notes: Often used for ritual libations.
- אֹתָם (otam) – Form: Object pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the water.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the libation was an offering.