וַיַּהֲפֹ֥ךְ אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וּבִנְיָמִ֡ן הֵחֵל֩ לְהַכֹּ֨ות חֲלָלִ֤ים בְּאִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ אַךְ֩ נִגֹּ֨וף נִגָּ֥ף הוּא֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כַּמִּלְחָמָ֖ה הָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
And the men of Yisraʾel turned in the battle, and Binyamin began to strike down the slain among the men of Yisraʾel, about thirty men, for they said, “Surely he is struck down before us, as in the first battle.”
Morphology
- וַיַּהֲפֹ֥ךְ (vayyahafoḵ) – Root: הפך (hafaḵ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he turned”; Notes: Refers to the strategic turning of the men of Yisraʾel in battle.
- אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (ish-Yisraʾel) – Root: איש (ish) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “the men of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה (ba-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun, feminine singular definite; Translation: “in the battle”; Notes: Specifies the context of action.
- וּבִנְיָמִ֡ן (u-Vinyamin) – Root: בנימין (Binyamin); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And Binyamin”; Notes: The subject of the next action.
- הֵחֵל֩ (heḥel) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “began”; Notes: Indicates the initiation of the action.
- לְהַכֹּ֨ות (le-hakkot) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to strike down”; Notes: Indicates the action undertaken.
- חֲלָלִ֤ים (ḥalalim) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the slain”; Notes: Refers to those killed.
- בְּאִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (be-ish-Yisraʾel) – Root: איש (ish) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “among the men of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Specifies the target.
- כִּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים (ki-sheloshim) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural construct; Translation: “about thirty”; Notes: Indicates the approximate number of casualties.
- אִ֔ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Refers to those who were struck down.
- כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ (ki-ʾamru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “for they said”; Notes: Introduces the reasoning.
- אַךְ֩ (aḵ) – Root: -; Form: Adverb; Translation: “surely”; Notes: Emphasizes the statement.
- נִגֹּ֨וף נִגָּ֥ף (nigof nigaf) – Root: נגף (nagaf); Form: Nifal infinitive absolute + Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he is struck down”; Notes: Indicates certainty of defeat.
- הוּא֙ (hu) – Root: -; Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to the enemy.
- לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ (lefaneinu) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “before us”; Notes: Expresses perspective.
- כַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה (ka-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “as in the battle”; Notes: Compares to a previous event.
- הָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ (ha-rishonah) – Root: ראשׁ (rosh); Form: Adjective, feminine singular definite; Translation: “the first”; Notes: Specifies the earlier battle.