וַיְצַ֣ו אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה וּבְאִשְׁתֹּ֖ו מֹ֥ות יוּמָֽת׃
And Avimelekh commanded all the people, saying, “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”
Morphology
- וַיְצַ֣ו (Va-yetsav) – Root: צוה (ts-v-h); Form: Piel, imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he commanded”; Notes: Indicates an official order given by Avimelekh.
- אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ (Avimelekh) – Root: אב (a-v) + מלך (m-l-k); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avimelekh”; Notes: The Philistine king.
- אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֖ם (Et-kol-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, singular construct with definite article; Translation: “All the people”; Notes: Refers to the Philistine community under Avimelekh’s authority.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (Leemor) – Root: אמר (a-m-r); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the command.
- הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ (Ha-nogeaʿ) – Root: נגע (n-g-ʿ); Form: Qal, participle, ms with definite article; Translation: “Whoever touches”; Notes: Describes any action of physical contact.
- בָּאִ֥ישׁ הַזֶּ֛ה (Ba-ish ha-zeh) – Root: אישׁ (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun, singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “This man”; Notes: Refers specifically to Yitsḥaq.
- וּבְאִשְׁתֹּ֖ו (Uve-ishto) – Root: אישׁ (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun, singular construct with 3ms suffix; Translation: “And his wife”; Notes: Refers to Rivqa.
- מֹ֥ות (Mot) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Infinitive absolute; Translation: “Surely”; Notes: Intensifies the following verb.
- יוּמָֽת׃ (Yumat) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Hofal, imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Shall be put to death”; Notes: A passive form indicating execution as punishment.
Morphological Analysis
וַיְצַ֣ו (wayṣaw)
- Root: צוה (ṣwh)
- Form: Piel Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “And he commanded”
אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ (ʾăvîmeleḵ)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Abimelech”
אֶת (ʾeṯ)
- Form: Direct object marker
- Translation: “” (untranslatable in English)
כָּל (kāl)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular construct
- Translation: “all”
הָעָ֖ם (hāʿām)
- Root: עם (ʿm)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article
- Translation: “the people”
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lēʾmōr)
- Root: אמר (ʾmr)
- Form: Infinitive construct
- Translation: “saying”
הַנֹּגֵ֜עַ (hannōgēaʿ)
- Root: נגע (ngʿ)
- Form: Hifil Participle masculine singular with definite article
- Translation: “who touches”
בָּאִ֥ישׁ (bāʾîš)
- Root: איש (ʾîš)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition
- Translation: “to the man”
הַזֶּ֛ה (hazzeh)
- Root: זה (zh)
- Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular
- Translation: “this”
וּבְאִשְׁתֹּ֖ו (ûḇəʾištōw)
- Root: אשה (ʾšh)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular with conjunction and 3ms pronominal suffix
- Translation: “and to his wife”
מֹ֥ות (mōwṯ)
- Root: מות (mwt)
- Form: Noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “death”
יוּמָֽת (yūmāṯ)
- Root: מות (mwt)
- Form: Hofal Imperfect 3ms
- Translation: “he shall be put to death”