וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ מֹ֣ות יְהֹושֻׁ֔עַ וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בַּיהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֧נוּ אֶל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛י בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בֹּֽו׃
And it came to pass after the death of Yehoshua, that the sons of Yisraʾel inquired of YHWH, saying, “Who shall go up for us against the Kenaʿani first, to fight against him?”
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֗י (vayehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces a narrative sequence.
- אַחֲרֵי֙ (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates temporal sequence.
- מֹ֣ות (mot) – Root: מות (mot); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “death of”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession.
- יְהֹושֻׁ֔עַ (Yehoshua) – Root: יהושע (Yehoshua); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehoshua”; Notes: Name of the leader of Yisraʾel after Moshe.
- וַֽיִּשְׁאֲלוּ֙ (vayyishʾalu) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they inquired”; Notes: Describes an action initiated by the sons of Yisraʾel.
- בְּנֵ֣י (bene) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- בַּיהוָ֖ה (ba-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition with divine name; Translation: “of YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the entity to whom the inquiry is directed.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- מִ֣י (mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Used to introduce a question.
- יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֧נוּ (yaʿaleh-lanu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with pronominal suffix; Translation: “shall go up for us”; Notes: Refers to leading an attack.
- אֶל־הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֛י (el-ha-Kenaʿani) – Root: כנעני (Kenaʿani); Form: Preposition with definite article and proper noun; Translation: “against the Kenaʿani”; Notes: Refers to the Canaanite people.
- בַּתְּחִלָּ֖ה (ba-teḥillah) – Root: תחלה (teḥillah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “first”; Notes: Indicates the beginning of the action.
- לְהִלָּ֥חֶם (lehilachem) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Nifal infinitive construct; Translation: “to fight”; Notes: Reflexive form, meaning “to engage in battle.”
- בֹּֽו׃ (bo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: Refers to the Kenaʿani.