וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ וַיַּעֲל֣וּ בֵֽית־אֵל֮ וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ בֵאלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִ֚י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֣נוּ בַתְּחִלָּ֔ה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֑ן וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה יְהוּדָ֥ה בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃
And they arose and went up to Beit-ʾel and inquired of God, and the sons of Yisraʾel said, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the sons of Binyamin?” And YHWH said, “Yehuda first.”
Morphology
- וַיָּקֻ֜מוּ (vayyaqumu) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they arose”; Notes: Indicates movement.
- וַיַּעֲל֣וּ (vayyaʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they went up”; Notes: Expresses ascent.
- בֵֽית־אֵל֮ (Beit-ʾEl) – Root: בית (bayit) + אל (ʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Beit-ʾEl”; Notes: Geographic location.
- וַיִּשְׁאֲל֣וּ (vayyishʾalu) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they inquired”; Notes: Seeking divine guidance.
- בֵאלֹהִים֒ (be-Elohim) – Root: אל (ʾel) + אלהים (Elohim); Form: Proper noun, prefixed with preposition; Translation: “of Elohim”; Notes: Refers to divine consultation.
- וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (vayyomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Introduces speech.
- בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (bene Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Subject of speech.
- מִ֚י (mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֣נוּ (yaʿaleh-lanu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + prepositional suffix; Translation: “shall go up for us”; Notes: Describes initiative.
- בַתְּחִלָּ֔ה (ba-tḥillah) – Root: חלל (ḥ-l-l); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite; Translation: “first”; Notes: Specifies order.
- לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (la-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite, prefixed with preposition; Translation: “to battle”; Notes: Indicates purpose.
- עִם־בְּנֵ֣י (ʿim-bene) – Root: עם (ʿim) + בן (ben); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “against the sons of”; Notes: Expresses opposition.
- בִנְיָמִ֑ן (Binyamin) – Root: בנימין (Binyamin); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Binyamin”; Notes: Identifies the opposing tribe.
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s response.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine speaker.
- יְהוּדָ֥ה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Specifies the first tribe.
- בַתְּחִלָּֽה׃ (ba-tḥillah) – Root: חלל (ḥ-l-l); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite; Translation: “first”; Notes: Reinforces order.