וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ אֶל־יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָיו֮ אַל־יַ֣עַל כָּל־הָעָם֒ כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם אִ֗ישׁ אֹ֚ו כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ יַעֲל֖וּ וְיַכּ֣וּ אֶת־הָעָ֑י אַל־תְּיַגַּע־שָׁ֨מָּה֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י מְעַ֖ט הֵֽמָּה׃
And they returned to Yehoshua and said to him, Let not all the people go up; about two thousand men or about three thousand men shall go up and strike the ʿAi; do not make all the people toil there, for they are few.
Morphology
- וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ (vayyashuvu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “(and) they returned”; Notes: Sequential verb indicating narrative action.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction towards Yehoshua.
- יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ (Yehoshua) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehoshua”; Notes: Refers to Joshua.
- וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “(and) they said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אֵלָיו֮ (elav) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates the object of speech.
- אַל־ (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used to express prohibition.
- יַ֣עַל (yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let go up”; Notes: Expresses an instruction or command.
- כָּל־ (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “all of”; Notes: Refers to entirety.
- הָעָם֒ (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite people.
- כְּאַלְפַּ֣יִם (ke-alpayim) – Root: אלף (ʾelef); Form: Noun, dual; Translation: “about two thousand”; Notes: Dual form indicating exactly two thousand.
- אִ֗ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Refers to individuals within the group.
- אֹ֚ו (ʾo) – Root: או (ʾo); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “or”; Notes: Presents an alternative.
- כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת (kishloshet) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “about three”; Notes: Construct form for numbers.
- אֲלָפִ֣ים (alafim) – Root: אלף (ʾelef); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “thousands”; Notes: Indicates a large number.
- אִ֔ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Repeated noun for clarity.
- יַעֲל֖וּ (yaʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they shall go up”; Notes: Future or imperative sense.
- וְיַכּ֣וּ (ve-yakku) – Root: נכה (naka); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and strike”; Notes: Causative form indicating action to be taken.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “[the]”; Notes: Marks the direct object.
- הָעָ֑י (ha-ʿAi) – Root: עי (ʿay); Form: Proper noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the ʿAi”; Notes: Refers to the city Ai.
- אַל־ (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Prohibition.
- תְּיַגַּע־ (teyaggaʿ) – Root: יגע (yagaʿ); Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “make toil”; Notes: Causative form indicating burdening.
- שָׁ֨מָּה֙ (shammah) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates location.
- אֶת־ (ʾet) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: “[the]”; Notes: Marks the direct object.
- כָּל־הָעָ֔ם (kol-haʿam) – Root: כל (kol) + עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with definite article; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: Collective term.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for/because”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- מְעַ֖ט (meʿat) – Root: מעט (maʿat); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “few”; Notes: Describes the enemy as small in number.
- הֵֽמָּה׃ (hemmah) – Root: הם (hem); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the inhabitants of Ai.