וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן כִּֽי־עָל֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל דַּבְּר֕וּ אֵיכָ֥ה נִהְיְתָ֖ה הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And the sons of Binyamin heard that the sons of Yisraʾel had gone up to the Mitzpa. And the sons of Yisraʾel said, “Speak, how did this evil happen?”
Morphology
- וַֽיִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ (vayyishmeʿu) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they heard”; Notes: Indicates perception of sound.
- בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן (bene Binyamin) – Root: בן (ben) + בנימין (Binyamin); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Binyamin”; Notes: Refers to the tribe of Binyamin.
- כִּֽי־עָל֥וּ (ki-ʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “that they had gone up”; Notes: Expresses completed action.
- בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (bene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite tribes.
- הַמִּצְפָּ֑ה (ha-Mitzpah) – Root: מצפה (Mitzpah); Form: Proper noun, definite; Translation: “to the Mitzpah”; Notes: Indicates the location.
- וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (vayyomeru) – 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 with proper noun; Translation: “the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies the speakers.
- דַּבְּר֕וּ (dabberu) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: Command form.
- אֵיכָ֥ה (eikhah) – Root: איך (ʾeikh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “how”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- נִהְיְתָ֖ה (nihyetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “did happen”; Notes: Passive form.
- הָרָעָ֥ה (ha-raʿah) – Root: רע (raʿ); Form: Noun, feminine singular, definite; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Refers to the grievous act.
- הַזֹּֽאת׃ (hazot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the event being inquired about.