וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֖ד אֶת־אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַל אֲפֵ֔קָה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And it came to pass at the turning of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered Aram and went up to Afeq to battle against Yisraʾel.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Common biblical narrative introduction marking a transition.
- לִתְשׁוּבַת (litshuvat) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “at the turning of”; Notes: Refers to the return of the yearly cycle, typically springtime.
- הַשָּׁנָה (ha-shanah) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the year”; Notes: Specifies the time of renewed military activity.
- וַיִּפְקֹד (va-yifqod) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he mustered”; Notes: Refers to gathering troops for battle.
- בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-Hadad) – Root: בן (ben) + הדד (Hadad); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “Ben-Hadad”; Notes: King of Aram, initiating military action.
- אֶת־אֲרָם (et-Aram) – Root: ארם (Aram); Form: Accusative marker אֶת + proper noun; Translation: “Aram”; Notes: Refers to the Aramean army being mobilized.
- וַיַּעַל (va-yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he went up”; Notes: Standard military movement language, ascending toward a target.
- אֲפֵקָה (Afeqah) – Root: אפק (Afeq); Form: Proper noun with locative ה ending; Translation: “to Apheq”; Notes: A strategic city location for battle.
- לַמִּלְחָמָה (la-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to battle”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of the ascent — warfare.
- עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵל (ʿim-Yisraʾel) – Root: עם (ʿam) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition עִם + proper noun; Translation: “against Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies the opponent in the battle.