וּמִ֨י יִתֵּ֜ן אֶת־הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ בְּיָדִ֔י וְאָסִ֖ירָה אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ רַבֶּ֥ה צְבָאֲךָ֖ וָצֵֽאָה׃
If only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Avimelekh. I would say to Abimelekh, ‘Increase your army and come out!’”
Morphology
- וּמִ֨י (u-mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Oh, that…”; Notes: Expresses a wish.
- יִתֵּ֜ן (yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “were given”; Notes: Expresses a hypothetical situation.
- אֶת־הָעָ֤ם (et-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “this people”; Notes: Refers to the people of Shekhem.
- הַזֶּה֙ (hazzeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the people.
- בְּיָדִ֔י (bəyadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “into my hand”; Notes: Expresses control or possession.
- וְאָסִ֖ירָה (və-ʾasirah) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “then I would remove”; Notes: Denotes intention.
- אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ (et-ʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Abimelek”; Notes: Object of removal.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ (vayyōmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Gaal speaking.
- לַאֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ (la-ʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “to Abimelek”; Notes: The recipient of the challenge.
- רַבֶּ֥ה (rabbeh) – Root: רבה (rabah); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Increase”; Notes: A challenge to gather forces.
- צְבָאֲךָ֖ (tsəvaʾakha) – Root: צבא (tsava); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your army”; Notes: Refers to Abimelek’s military.
- וָצֵֽאָה׃ (va-tsēʾah) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and come out!”; Notes: A direct challenge to battle.