וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֔י בַּמָּ֥ה אֹושִׁ֖יעַ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הִנֵּ֤ה אַלְפִּי֙ הַדַּ֣ל בִּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה וְאָנֹכִ֥י הַצָּעִ֖יר בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
And he said to Him, “Oh my Lord, with what shall I save Yisraʾel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Menashshe, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Gidʿon’s response.
- אֵלָיו֙ (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to Him”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- בִּ֣י (bi) – Root: בי (bi); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Oh”; Notes: Expresses humility and disbelief.
- אֲדֹנָ֔י (ʾAdonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: A respectful address to YHWH.
- בַּמָּ֥ה (ba-mah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative; Translation: “With what”; Notes: Questions his ability.
- אֹושִׁ֖יעַ (ʾoshiʿa) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “shall I save”; Notes: Expresses doubt in his ability to deliver Yisraʾel.
- אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (et-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun with direct object marker; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Yisraʾel.
- הִנֵּ֤ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Introduces an explanation.
- אַלְפִּי֙ (alpi) – Root: אלף (ʾelef); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my clan”; Notes: Refers to his family division.
- הַדַּ֣ל (ha-dal) – Root: דל (dal); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the weakest”; Notes: Emphasizes his insignificance.
- בִּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה (bi-Menasheh) – Root: מנשה (Menasheh); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “in Menasheh”; Notes: Refers to his tribal affiliation.
- וְאָנֹכִ֥י (ve-ʾanokhi) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “And I”; Notes: Further emphasizes his inadequacy.
- הַצָּעִ֖יר (ha-tsaʿir) – Root: צעיר (tsaʿir); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the least”; Notes: Suggests his low social rank.
- בְּבֵ֥ית אָבִֽי׃ (be-veit avi) – Root: בית (bayit) + אב (ʾav); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in my father’s house”; Notes: Indicates his perceived insignificance.