וַיֹּ֥ורֶד אֶת־הָעָ֖ם אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם ס וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־גִּדְעֹ֗ון כֹּ֣ל אֲשֶׁר־יָלֹק֩ בִּלְשֹׁונֹ֨ו מִן־הַמַּ֜יִם כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר יָלֹ֣ק הַכֶּ֗לֶב תַּצִּ֤יג אֹותֹו֙ לְבָ֔ד וְכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־יִכְרַ֥ע עַל־בִּרְכָּ֖יו לִשְׁתֹּֽות׃
And he brought the people down to the water. And YHWH said to Gideʿon, “Everyone who laps with his tongue from the water as a dog laps, you shall set him apart; and everyone who kneels on his knees to drink.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֥ורֶד (va-yored) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he brought down”; Notes: Indicates causative action.
- אֶת־הָעָ֖ם (et-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Direct object of the verb.
- אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם (el-ha-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition; Translation: “to the water”; Notes: Specifies location.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks divine speech.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: (no root); Form: Proper noun, singular; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- אֶל־גִּדְעֹ֗ון (el-Gidʿon) – Root: גדע (gadaʿ); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “to Gidʿon”; Notes: Recipient of YHWH’s speech.
- כֹּ֣ל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, singular construct; Translation: “Everyone”; Notes: General subject.
- אֲשֶׁר־יָלֹק֩ (asher-yalok) – Root: לקק (laqaq); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who laps”; Notes: Describes action of drinking.
- בִּלְשֹׁונֹ֨ו (bilshono) – Root: לשון (lashon); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with his tongue”; Notes: Instrument of action.
- מִן־הַמַּ֜יִם (min-ha-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with preposition; Translation: “from the water”; Notes: Specifies source.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר (ka-asher) – Root: (no root); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison.
- יָלֹ֣ק (yalok) – Root: לקק (laqaq); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “laps”; Notes: Second occurrence reinforcing comparison.
- הַכֶּ֗לֶב (ha-kelev) – Root: כלב (kelev); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the dog”; Notes: Compares drinking behavior.
- תַּצִּ֤יג (tatsig) – Root: יצג (yatsag); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall set apart”; Notes: Instruction to Gidʿon.
- אֹותֹו֙ (oto) – Root: (no root); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to those who lap water.
- לְבָ֔ד (levad) – Root: (no root); Form: Adverb; Translation: “apart”; Notes: Indicates separation.
- וְכֹ֛ל (ve-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, singular construct; Translation: “and everyone”; Notes: Introduces contrasting group.
- אֲשֶׁר־יִכְרַ֥ע (asher-yikraʿ) – Root: כרע (karaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who kneels”; Notes: Second category.
- עַל־בִּרְכָּ֖יו (ʿal-birkav) – Root: ברך (berekh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “on his knees”; Notes: Position of drinking.
- לִשְׁתֹּֽות (lishtot) – Root: שתה (shatah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to drink”; Notes: Expresses purpose.