בַּחֵ֖צִי

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 בַּחֵ֖צִי

   ba-khe-TSI

   at the half or in the middle
2. clause🔊 וַיִּקַּ֨ח חָנ֜וּן אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י דָוִיד֙ וַֽיְגַלְּחֵ֔ם וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת אֶת־מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם בַּחֵ֖צִי עַד־הַמִּפְשָׂעָ֑ה

   va-yik-KAKH kha-NUN et-a-ve-DE da-VID va-ye-gal-le-KHEM va-yikh-ROT et-mad-ve-HEM ba-khe-TSI ad-ha-mif-sa-A

   and he took Hanun {direct object marker} servants of David and he shaved them and he cut off {direct object marker} their garments at the half or in the middle up to the buttocks or the hips
3. sentence🔊 וַיִּקַּ֨ח חָנ֜וּן אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י דָוִיד֙ וַֽיְגַלְּחֵ֔ם וַיִּכְרֹ֧ת אֶת־מַדְוֵיהֶ֛ם בַּחֵ֖צִי עַד־הַמִּפְשָׂעָ֑ה וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽם׃

   va-yik-KAKH kha-NUN et-a-ve-DE da-VID va-ye-gal-le-KHEM va-yikh-ROT et-mad-ve-HEM ba-khe-TSI ad-ha-mif-sa-A va-ye-shal-le-KHEM

   and he took Hanun {direct object marker} servants of David and he shaved them and he cut off {direct object marker} their garments at the half or in the middle up to the buttocks or the hips and he sent them away

Exegesis

The spatial phrase baḥêṣî ʿad hammipsā‘â {בַּחֵצִי עַד־הַמִּפְשָׂעָה | baḥêṣî ʿad hammipsā‘â} ‘in the middle up to the buttocks’ defines the extent of the cutting, emphasizing the insult. English renders the Qal and Piel forms as simple past to preserve narrative pace while the dynamic clarifies the exposure of hips and beard shaving.

Root and etymology

ḥ-ṣ-y🔊 ח־צ־יḥet–ṣade–yod

“half, middle”

• 🔊 חֲצִיḥēṣîhalfGenesis 32:8