וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכֹ֔ו יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵיתֹ֑ו פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃
And the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Who is the man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.
Morphology
- וְדִבְּר֣וּ (ve-dibberu) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And they shall speak”; Notes: Refers to the officers addressing the people.
- הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ (ha-shotrim) – Root: שטר (shoter); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the officers”; Notes: Refers to those tasked with administrative duties.
- אֶל־הָעָ֣ם (el-ha-am) – Root: עם (am); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article and preposition; Translation: “to the people”; Notes: Indicates the audience being addressed.
- לֵאמֹר֒ (le-emor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ (mi-ha-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Interrogative with noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “Who is the man”; Notes: Poses a rhetorical question.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (asher) – Root: אשר (asher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Links the clause to the preceding question.
- בָּנָ֤ה (banah) – Root: בנה (banah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has built”; Notes: Refers to constructing a house.
- בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ (bayit-chadash) – Root: בית (bayit), חדש (chadash); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with adjective; Translation: “a new house”; Notes: Indicates a recently built dwelling.
- וְלֹ֣א (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle with conjunction; Translation: “and has not”; Notes: Negates the subsequent action.
- חֲנָכֹ֔ו (chanakho) – Root: חנך (chanakh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “dedicated it”; Notes: Refers to inaugurating the house.
- יֵלֵ֖ךְ (yelekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Let him go”; Notes: Permissive command for the individual to leave.
- וְיָשֹׁ֣ב (ve-yashov) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and return”; Notes: Refers to going back home.
- לְבֵיתֹ֑ו (le-veito) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his house”; Notes: Indicates the place of residence.
- פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ (pen-yamut) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “lest he die”; Notes: Expresses the potential danger in battle.
- בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (ba-milchamah) – Root: לחם (lacham); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the battle”; Notes: Refers to the conflict or war.
- וְאִ֥ישׁ (ve-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and another man”; Notes: Indicates someone else potentially taking the role.
- אַחֵ֖ר (acher) – Root: אחר (acher); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “another”; Notes: Refers to a different individual.
- יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃ (yachnekhu) – Root: חנך (chanakh); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “shall dedicate it”; Notes: Indicates the act of consecration by another person.