וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן נִגָּפִ֥ים הֵ֛ם לְפָנֵ֖ינוּ כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל אָמְר֗וּ נָנ֨וּסָה֙ וּֽנְתַקְּנֻ֔הוּ מִן־הָעִ֖יר אֶל־הַֽמְסִלֹּֽות׃
And the sons of Binyamin said, “They are struck down before us as at the first.” But the sons of Yisraʾel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces the speech of the Binyaminites.
- בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן (bene-Binyamin) – Root: בן (ben) + בנימין (Binyamin); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the sons of Binyamin”; Notes: Identifies the speakers.
- נִגָּפִ֥ים (niggafim) – Root: נגף (nagaf); Form: Nifal participle, masculine plural; Translation: “They are struck down”; Notes: Indicates perceived defeat of the Israelites.
- הֵ֛ם (hem) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite forces.
- לְפָנֵ֖ינוּ (lefaneinu) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with noun construct, 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “before us”; Notes: Indicates the Binyaminites’ perspective.
- כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָ֑ה (ke-varishonah) – Root: ראשון (rishon); Form: Adjective, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “as at the first”; Notes: Compares the situation to a previous event.
- וּבְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל (u-vene-Yisraʾel) – Root: בן (ben) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with conjunction; Translation: “But the sons of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies the opposing side.
- אָמְר֗וּ (ʾamru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they said”; Notes: Introduces the Israelites’ plan.
- נָנ֨וּסָה֙ (nanusah) – Root: נוס (nus); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “Let us flee”; Notes: Suggests a tactical retreat.
- וּֽנְתַקְּנֻ֔הוּ (unetakkenuhu) – Root: נתק (nataq); Form: Piel cohortative 1st person plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and let us draw them away”; Notes: Describes the strategy.
- מִן־הָעִ֖יר (min-haʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite with preposition; Translation: “from the city”; Notes: Specifies the target of the maneuver.
- אֶל־הַֽמְסִלֹּֽות׃ (el-ha-mesillot) – Root: מסלה (mesillah); Form: Noun, feminine plural definite with preposition; Translation: “to the highways”; Notes: Indicates the intended battlefield.