דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֞א בְּאָזְנֵ֨י כָל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י שְׁכֶם֮ מַה־טֹּ֣וב לָכֶם֒ הַמְשֹׁ֨ל בָּכֶ֜ם שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ כֹּ֚ל בְּנֵ֣י יְרֻבַּ֔עַל אִם־מְשֹׁ֥ל בָּכֶ֖ם אִ֣ישׁ אֶחָ֑ד וּזְכַרְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־עַצְמֵכֶ֥ם וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם אָנִֽי׃
“Speak now in the ears of all the lords of Shekhem: ‘What is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Yerubbaʿal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ And remember that I am your bone and your flesh.
Morphology
- דַּבְּרוּ־נָ֞א (dabberu-na) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperative masculine plural with particle; Translation: “Speak now”; Notes: A command with emphasis.
- בְּאָזְנֵ֨י (be-oznei) – Root: אוזן (ozen); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct with preposition; Translation: “in the ears of”; Notes: Indicates direct address.
- כָל־בַּעֲלֵ֣י (khol-baʿalei) – Root: בעל (baʿal); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “all the lords of”; Notes: Refers to leaders of Shekhem.
- שְׁכֶם֮ (Shekhem) – Root: שכם (Shekhem); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shekhem”; Notes: A Canaanite city.
- מַה־טֹּ֣וב (mah-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Interrogative with adjective; Translation: “What is better”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- לָכֶם֒ (lakhem) – Root: ל (l-); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Directs the question.
- הַמְשֹׁ֨ל (hamshol) – Root: משל (mashal); Form: Qal infinitive construct with definite article; Translation: “to rule”; Notes: Expresses the act of ruling.
- בָּכֶ֜ם (bakhem) – Root: ב (b-); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “over you”; Notes: Specifies the subjects.
- שִׁבְעִ֣ים (shivʿim) – Root: שבע (shevaʿ); Form: Numeral; Translation: “seventy”; Notes: Indicates quantity.
- אִ֗ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: The rulers in question.
- כֹּ֚ל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “all”; Notes: Specifies the entire group.
- בְּנֵ֣י (bene) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Indicates genealogy.
- יְרֻבַּ֔עַל (Yerubbaʿal) – Root: ירבעל (Yerubbaʿal); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yerubbaʿal”; Notes: Another name for Gidʿon.
- אִם־ (im) – Root: אם (im); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Introduces the alternative.
- מְשֹׁ֥ל (mshol) – Root: משל (mashal); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to rule”; Notes: Parallel to previous phrase.
- בָּכֶ֖ם (bakhem) – Root: ב (b-); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “over you”; Notes: Specifies the ruled.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “one man”; Notes: The alternative ruler.
- אֶחָ֑ד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (eḥad); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Emphasizes singularity.
- וּזְכַרְתֶּ֕ם (uzekhartem) – Root: זכר (zakhar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “and remember”; Notes: Command to recall.
- כִּֽי־ (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- עַצְמֵכֶ֥ם (atzmekhem) – Root: עצם (etzem); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “your bone”; Notes: Figurative for kinship.
- וּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם (u-besarkhem) – Root: בשר (basar); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and your flesh”; Notes: Parallel to “bone.”
- אָנִֽי׃ (ani) – Root: אני (ani); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes identity.