וַאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ נִלְחָ֣ם בָּעִ֗יר כֹּ֚ל הַיֹּ֣ום הַה֔וּא וַיִּלְכֹּד֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖הּ הָרָ֑ג וַיִּתֹּץ֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וַיִּזְרָעֶ֖הָ מֶֽלַח׃ פ
And Avimelekh fought against the city that whole day, and he captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he tore down the city and sowed it with salt.
Morphology
- וַאֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ (va-ʾAvimelekh) – Root: אבימלך (ʾAvimelekh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Abimelek”; Notes: Subject of the sentence.
- נִלְחָ֣ם (nilḥam) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “fought”; Notes: Reflexive or passive form indicating engagement in battle.
- בָּעִ֗יר (ba-ʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “against the city”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “fought.”
- כֹּ֚ל הַיֹּ֣ום (kol ha-yom) – Root: כל / יום (kol / yom); Form: Noun phrase; Translation: “that whole day”; Notes: Specifies duration of the battle.
- הַה֔וּא (ha-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Refers back to the specified day.
- וַיִּלְכֹּד֙ (vayilkod) – Root: לכד (lakad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he captured”; Notes: Indicates seizing control.
- אֶת־הָעִ֔יר (ʾet-haʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Direct object of “captured.”
- וְאֶת־הָעָ֥ם (veʾet-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “and the people”; Notes: Additional direct object.
- אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖הּ (ʾasher-bah) – Root: אשר / בה (ʾasher / bah); Form: Relative clause; Translation: “who were in it”; Notes: Specifies the people inside the city.
- הָרָ֑ג (harag) – Root: הרג (harag); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he killed”; Notes: Indicates execution of the city’s inhabitants.
- וַיִּתֹּץ֙ (vayyitots) – Root: נתץ (natats); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he tore down”; Notes: Destruction of the city.
- אֶת־הָעִ֔יר (ʾet-haʿir) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Direct object of “tore down.”
- וַיִּזְרָעֶ֖הָ (vayyizraʿeha) – Root: זרע (zaraʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and he sowed it”; Notes: Symbolic act of cursing the city.
- מֶֽלַח (melaḥ) – Root: מלח (melaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “with salt”; Notes: Symbolic of ensuring long-term desolation.