וַֽיִּפְקְד֔וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַֽיִּפְקְד֔וּ

   va-yif-ke-DU

   and they counted
2. clause🔊 וַֽיִּפְקְד֔וּ וְהִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥ין יוֹנָתָ֖ן וְנֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלָֽיו׃

   va-yif-ke-DU ve-hin-NE EN yo-na-TAN ve-no-SE ke-LAV

   and they counted and behold there is not Jonathan and bearer of his equipment or his gear
3. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֗וּל לָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ פִּקְדוּ־נָ֣א וּרְא֔וּ מִ֖י הָלַ֣ךְ מֵעִמָּ֑נוּ וַֽיִּפְקְד֔וּ וְהִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥ין יוֹנָתָ֖ן וְנֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלָֽיו׃

   va-YO-mer sha-UL la-AM a-SHER i-TO pik-DU-na u-re-U MI ha-LAKH me-im-MA-nu va-yif-ke-DU ve-hin-NE EN yo-na-TAN ve-no-SE ke-LAV

   and he said Saul to the people who or which with him count, please and see who has gone from us and they counted and behold there is not Jonathan and bearer of his equipment or his gear

Exegesis

The narrative resumes with vayifqedu {וַֽיִּפְקְד֔וּ | vā-yip-qə-ḏû} ‘and they mustered,’ leading into the existential vehinneh ein {וְהִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥ן | wə-hin-nê ’ên} ‘and behold, there is not,’ which highlights the absence of the participial phrase nose kelav {נֹשֵׂא כֵלָֽיו | nō-sê ḵê-lāv} ‘the one carrying his weapons.’

Root and etymology

פ־ק־ד🔊 pe–qof–dalet

“to muster, count”

• 🔊 פָּקִידpaqidoverseerGenesis 41:34