תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ

   til-la-kha-MU

   you shall fight
2. clause🔊 וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֡ם צִוָּה֩ אֶת־שָׂרֵ֨י הָרֶ֤כֶב אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֚א תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ אֶת־הַקָּטֹ֖ן אֶת־הַגָּד֑וֹל

   u-ME-lekh a-RAM tsi-VA et-sa-RE ha-RE-khev a-SHER-lo le-MOR LO til-la-kha-MU et-ha-ka-TON et-ha-ga-DOL

   and {the} king of Aram commanded {the} commanders of the chariotry or the chariot that {were} his or which {were} to him saying not you shall fight {with} the small {one} {or with} the great {one}
3. sentence🔊 וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֡ם צִוָּה֩ אֶת־שָׂרֵ֨י הָרֶ֤כֶב אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֚א תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ אֶת־הַקָּטֹ֖ן אֶת־הַגָּד֑וֹל כִּ֛י אִֽם־אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַדּֽוֹ׃

   u-ME-lekh a-RAM tsi-VA et-sa-RE ha-RE-khev a-SHER-lo le-MOR LO til-la-kha-MU et-ha-ka-TON et-ha-ga-DOL KI im-et-ME-lekh yis-ra-EL le-va-DO

   and {the} king of Aram commanded {the} commanders of the chariotry or the chariot that {were} his or which {were} to him saying not you shall fight {with} the small {one} {or with} the great {one} for but rather {with} {the} king of Israel alone, by himself

Exegesis

לֵאמֹר lēʾmōr {לֵאמֹ֔ר | lēʾmōr} introduces direct discourse, after which the prohibition is expressed by לֹא lōʾ {לֹ֚א | lōʾ} + imperfect תִּלָּחֲמוּ tillaḥămû {תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ | tillaḥămû}, framing the instruction as an operative battle rule. The paired objects “the small” and “the great” function as a merism, covering all ranks without exception.