וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ זִקְנֵ֨י גִלְעָ֜ד אֶל־יִפְתָּ֗ח לָכֵן֙ עַתָּה֙ שַׁ֣בְנוּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ עִמָּ֔נוּ וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ בִּבְנֵ֣י עַמֹּ֑ון וְהָיִ֤יתָ לָּ֨נוּ֙ לְרֹ֔אשׁ לְכֹ֖ל יֹשְׁבֵ֥י גִלְעָֽד׃
And the elders of Gileʿad said to Yiftaḥ, “Therefore now we have returned to you, that you may go with us and fight against the sons of ʿAmmon, and you shall be a head over us, over all the inhabitants of Gileʿad.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- זִקְנֵ֨י גִלְעָ֜ד (ziqnei Gilʿad) – Root: זקן (zaqen) + גלעד (Gilʿad); Form: Construct noun phrase, masculine plural; Translation: “the elders of Gilʿad”; Notes: Indicates a leadership council.
- אֶל־יִפְתָּ֗ח (el-Yiftaḥ) – Root: אל (ʾel) + יפתח (Yiftaḥ); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Yiftaḥ”; Notes: Marks the recipient of speech.
- לָכֵן֙ (lakhen) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a logical consequence.
- עַתָּה֙ (ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks time reference.
- שַׁ֣בְנוּ (shavnu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have returned”; Notes: Indicates completed action.
- אֵלֶ֔יךָ (elekha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directional phrase.
- וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ (ve-halakhta) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall go”; Notes: Expresses intended action.
- עִמָּ֔נוּ (ʿimmanu) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Expresses accompaniment.
- וְנִלְחַמְתָּ֖ (ve-nilḥamta) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Nifal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall fight”; Notes: Reflexive or passive meaning.
- בִּבְנֵ֣י (bi-vnei) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Construct noun phrase, masculine plural; Translation: “against the sons of”; Notes: Refers to an enemy group.
- עַמֹּ֑ון (ʿAmmon) – Root: עמון (ʿAmmon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿAmmon”; Notes: Nation of ʿAmmon.
- וְהָיִ֤יתָ (ve-hayita) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall be”; Notes: Indicates future status.
- לָּ֨נוּ֙ (lanu) – Root: ל (le) + אנחנו (anaḥnu); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural pronoun; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Expresses benefit.
- לְרֹ֔אשׁ (le-rosh) – Root: ראש (rosh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a head”; Notes: Denotes leadership position.
- לְכֹ֖ל (le-khol) – Root: כל (khol); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “over all”; Notes: Indicates inclusivity.
- יֹשְׁבֵ֥י (yoshvei) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Participle, masculine plural construct; Translation: “inhabitants of”; Notes: Indicates residency.
- גִלְעָֽד׃ (Gilʿad) – Root: גלעד (Gilʿad); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gilʿad”; Notes: Refers to a geographical region.