Nov 07 2005
Joshua 1:10-11
וַיְצַ֣ו יְהֹושֻׁ֔עַ אֶת־שֹׁטְרֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ 11 עִבְר֣וּ ׀ בְּקֶ֣רֶב הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה וְצַוּ֤וּ אֶת־הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הָכִ֥ינוּ לָכֶ֖ם צֵידָ֑ה כִּ֞י בְּעֹ֣וד ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים אַתֶּם֙ עֹֽבְרִים֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן הַזֶּ֔ה לָבֹוא֙ לָרֶ֣שֶׁת אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ ס
Vocabulary
Verse 11
שׁטרי noun: “official” (BDB, 1009)
Verse 12
קרב “midst, inward part”
מחנה noun: “camp”
הכין verb (Hiphil imperative mpl): “prepare”
צידה noun: “provision” (BDB, 845)
בְּעֹוד “within (only)” (BDB, 728)
ירשׁ verb (infinitive construct): “possess”
Syntax & Miscellaneous
Verse 11
- The direct object marked by אֶת־ is a bound (or construct) phrase. The first member, שֹׁטְרֵי, is in the plural construct form, and the second, הָעָם, is the singular absolute form.
- The definite article attached to the second member applies to the entire phrase: “the officials of the people.”
- The infinitive, לֵאמֹֽר, functions similarly to quotations marks in English.
Verse 12
- What is this form וְצַוּ֤וּ? Is this a double sureq? How would you explain it?
- The participle, עֹֽבְרִים֙, is functioning as a finite verb with a subject, אַתֶּם֙, and a marked direct object.
- Notice the interesting idiom “this Jordan.” Other passages with the same construction (all with the verb עבר ): Genesis 32:11, Deuteronomy 3:27, Deuteronomy 31:2, Joshua 1:2, Joshua 4:17
