וַיִּקְרַ֨ע יְהֹושֻׁ֜עַ שִׂמְלֹתָ֗יו וַיִּפֹּל֩ עַל־פָּנָ֨יו אַ֜רְצָה לִפְנֵ֨י אֲרֹ֤ון יְהוָה֙ עַד־הָעֶ֔רֶב ה֖וּא וְזִקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ עָפָ֖ר עַל־רֹאשָֽׁם׃
And Yehoshua tore his garments and fell on his face to the ground before the Ark of YHWH until the evening, he and the elders of Yisraʾel, and they put dust on their heads.
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרַ֨ע (vayyikraʿ) – Root: קרע (qaraʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “(and) tore”; Notes: Expresses intense grief or mourning.
- יְהֹושֻׁ֜עַ (Yehoshua) – Root: ישע (yashaʿ); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehoshua”; Notes: Refers to Joshua, the leader of Yisraʾel.
- שִׂמְלֹתָ֗יו (simlotav) – Root: שמלה (simlah); Form: Noun, feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his garments”; Notes: Indicates clothing, specifically outer garments.
- וַיִּפֹּל֩ (vayyipol) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “(and) fell”; Notes: Describes a posture of submission or distress.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “on”; Notes: Indicates the surface upon which he fell.
- פָּנָ֨יו (panav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his face”; Notes: Refers to Yehoshua’s face.
- אַ֜רְצָה (artzah) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun, feminine singular with directional ה; Translation: “to the ground”; Notes: Indicates direction or movement toward the ground.
- לִפְנֵ֨י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Denotes position in relation to the Ark.
- אֲרֹ֤ון (ʾaron) – Root: ארן (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Ark”; Notes: Refers to the Ark of the Covenant.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the divine name.
- עַד־ (ʿad) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition; Translation: “until”; Notes: Indicates duration.
- הָעֶ֔רֶב (ha-ʿerev) – Root: ערב (ʿerev); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the evening”; Notes: Denotes time.
- ה֖וּא (hu) – Root: הוא (huʾ); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Yehoshua.
- וְזִקְנֵ֣י (ve-ziqnei) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “and the elders of”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- וַיַּעֲל֥וּ (vayyaʿalu) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “(and) they put”; Notes: Sequential action performed by Yehoshua and the elders.
- עָפָ֖ר (ʿafar) – Root: עפר (ʿafar); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “dust”; Notes: Symbol of mourning.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “on”; Notes: Indicates the surface upon which the dust was placed.
- רֹאשָֽׁם׃ (rosham) – Root: ראש (rosh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their heads”; Notes: Refers to the heads of Yehoshua and the elders.