פָּנִ֣ים

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 פָּנִ֣ים

   pa-NIM

   front
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 פָּנִ֣ים וְאָח֑וֹר

   pa-NIM ve-a-KHOR

   front and back or and rear
3. clause🔊 וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹאָ֗ב כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֧ה פְנֵי־הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו פָּנִ֣ים וְאָח֑וֹר

   va-YAR-e yo-AV ki-ha-ye-TA fe-NE-ha-mil-kha-MA e-LAV pa-NIM ve-a-KHOR

   and he saw Joab that she had become or that it had become the face of the battle toward him or against him front and back or and rear
4. sentence🔊 וַיַּ֣רְא יוֹאָ֗ב כִּֽי־הָיְתָ֧ה פְנֵי־הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו פָּנִ֣ים וְאָח֑וֹר וַיִּבְחַ֗ר מִכָּל־בָּחוּר֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ לִקְרַ֥את אֲרָֽם׃

   va-YAR-e yo-AV ki-ha-ye-TA fe-NE-ha-mil-kha-MA e-LAV pa-NIM ve-a-KHOR va-yiv-KHAR mi-kol-ba-KHUR be-yis-ra-EL va-ya-e-ROKH lik-RA-t a-RAM

   and he saw Joab that she had become or that it had become the face of the battle toward him or against him front and back or and rear and he chose from all choice young men in Israel and he arranged to meet or toward Aram

Exegesis

The subject Yoav {יוֹאָב | yō·ʼāv} perceives the tactical setup in penei-hamilchamah elav {פְנֵי־הַמִּלְחָמָה אֵלָיו | pə·nei-ham·miḥ·ḥā·māh ʼê·lāv} ‘fronts of the battle toward him’, further specified by panim {פָּנִים | pā·nîm} ‘fronts’ and ve’achor {וְאָח֑וֹר | wə·ʼā·ḥôr} ‘and rear’, indicating enemy forces on two fronts.

Root and etymology

פ־נ־ה🔊 pe–nun–he

“face, presence”

• 🔊 לְפָנַיlefanaibefore meGenesis 17:1