| 39. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative unfolds through sequential vav-consecutive clauses. The verb vayyahaphokh {וַיַּהֲפֹךְ | wā-yă-hă-pō-ḵ} marks the tactical reversal. The construct phrase ish-yisrael {אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾîš yis-rā-ʾēl} conveys a collective fighter group. The prepositional phrase bamilchamah {בַּמִּלְחָמָה | bă-mil-ḥā-māh} situates the action within the battle. The infinitive absolute niggof {נִגּוֹף | nig-gōp̄} preceding the perfect nigaf {נִגָּף | nig-gāp̄} intensifies the statement of defeat. The comparative phrase kammilchamah harishonah {כַּמִּלְחָמָה הָרִאשֹׁנָה | kă-mil-ḥā-māh hā-riʾ-šō-nāh} links this encounter to the first battle. English maintains the Hebrew sequence and emphatic structures by mirroring the order of actions, rendering constructs as group designations, and conveying intensification with equivalent adverbs. |