Dec 06 2005
Joshua 2:7-9
וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים רָדְפ֤וּ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן עַ֖ל הַֽמַּעְבְּרֹ֑ות וְהַשַּׁ֣עַר סָגָ֔רוּ אַחֲרֵ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָצְא֥וּ הָרֹדְפִ֖ים אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ 8 וְהֵ֖מָּה טֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁכָּב֑וּן וְהִ֛יא עָלְתָ֥ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עַל־הַגָּֽג׃ 9 וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־נָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכִֽי־נָפְלָ֤ה אֵֽימַתְכֶם֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְכִ֥י נָמֹ֛גוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶֽם׃
Vocabulary
Verse 7
רדף verb: “pursue”
מעבר noun: “ford”
שׁער “gate”
סגר verb: “shut”
Syntax & Miscellaneous
- Verse seven begins with a disjunctive waw (waw + non-verb)
- The preposition phrase, אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙, combines the preposition “after” with the inseparable 3mpl pronominal suffix, “them.”
- The relative marker, כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר, is used as a temporal marker, “when.”
Vocabulary
Verse 8
טרם adverb: “not yet”
גג noun: “roof” (BDB, 150)
Verse 9
אימה noun: “terror, dread” (BDB, 33)
נוג verb: “melt” (BDB, 556)
Syntax & Misc.
Verse 8
- The verb in the second clause, עָלְתָ֥ה, demonstrates scriptio plena. This term means “written fully” in reference to the use of a long vowel with a mater (also known as “historically long vowels”). Other examples include sere-yod, hireq-yod, holem-waw, and sureq. Conversely, scriptio defectiva, or defective spelling, lacks the mater.
Verse 9
- The verb “to give” requires an object and an indirect object, נָתַ֧ן יְהוָ֛ה לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ. One gives someone (object) something (indirect object). The lamed distinguishes the indirect object (the what) from the direct object (the who) marked with the direct object marker.
- Notice the series of three כִּי “because” clauses.