וַיְהִ֥י מִבְחַר־עֲמָקַ֖יִךְ מָ֣לְאוּ רָ֑כֶב וְהַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים שֹׁ֖ת שָׁ֥תוּ הַשָּֽׁעְרָה׃
And it happened, your choicest valleys were filled with chariots, and the horsemen took their stand at the gate.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֥י (vayehi) – Root: היה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it happened”; Notes: Narrative tense introducing an event.
- מִבְחַר־ (mivḥar) – Root: בחר; Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “choicest of”; Notes: Construct form linking to next noun.
- עֲמָקַ֖יִךְ (ʿamaqayikh) – Root: עמק; Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “your valleys”; Notes: Refers to the best valleys of the city (Jerusalem).
- מָ֣לְאוּ (malʾu) – Root: מלא; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “were filled”; Notes: Indicates completed action.
- רָ֑כֶב (rakev) – Root: רכב; Form: Noun, masculine singular collective; Translation: “chariots”; Notes: Often used as a collective singular for military vehicles.
- וְהַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים (ve-hap-parashim) – Root: פרשׁ; Form: Conjunction + noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “and the horsemen”; Notes: Refers to cavalry troops.
- שֹׁ֖ת (shot) – Root: שׁית; Form: Qal participle masculine plural (or archaic stative); Translation: “took position,” “stood”; Notes: Could be read as an archaic plural or shortened participle.
- שָׁ֥תוּ (shatu) – Root: שׁית; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “they stood,” “they set”; Notes: Poetic or emphatic repetition of verbal idea.
- הַשָּֽׁעְרָה (ha-shaʿrah) – Root: שער; Form: Definite noun, feminine singular (possibly poetic spelling); Translation: “the gate”; Notes: Refers to the city gate, symbolizing defense and entrance.