וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים

   ve-haz-ze-ke-NIM

   and the elders
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים

   va-yi-POL da-VID ve-haz-ze-ke-NIM

   and fell David and the elders
3. clause🔊 וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים מְכֻסִּ֥ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃

   va-yi-POL da-VID ve-haz-ze-ke-NIM me-khu-SIM ba-sak-KIM al-pe-ne-HEM

   and fell David and the elders covered in sackcloths upon their faces
4. sentence🔊 וַיִּשָּׂ֨א דָוִ֜יד אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֗ד בֵּ֤ין הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ נְטוּיָ֖ה עַל־יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיִּפֹּ֨ל דָּוִ֧יד וְהַזְּקֵנִ֛ים מְכֻסִּ֥ים בַּשַּׂקִּ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃

   va-yi-SA da-VID et-E-NAI-v va-yar-E et-mal-AKH Ye-ho-VAH o-MED BEN ha-A-rets u-VEN ha-sha-MA-yim ve-khar-BO she-lu-FA be-ya-DO ne-tu-YA al-ye-ru-sha-LA-im va-yi-POL da-VID ve-haz-ze-ke-NIM me-khu-SIM ba-sak-KIM al-pe-ne-HEM

   and he lifted up David {direct object marker} his eyes and he saw {direct object marker} messenger of the LORD standing between the earth and between the heavens and his sword drawn in his hand stretched out upon Jerusalem and fell David and the elders covered in sackcloths upon their faces

Exegesis

The second wayyippōl {וַיִּפֹּל | wayyippōl} ‘and he fell’ shifts focus to David’s reaction, followed by wə-hazqēnîm {וְהַזְּקֵנִים | wə-hazqēnîm} ‘and the elders’ and the Pual participle mĕḵussîm {מְכֻסִּים | mĕḵussîm} ‘covered’ with ba-sāqqîm {בַּשַּׂקִּים | ba-sāqqîm} ‘in sackcloth’ and ʿal-pənehêm {עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם | ʿal-pənehêm} ‘upon their faces,’ denoting mourning and submission in response to divine presence.