| 44. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive prefixed imperfect vayyippə̂lû {וַיִּפְּלוּ | vayyippə̂lû} ‘and they fell’, signaling sequential action. It is followed by the prepositional phrase mibbinyāmîn {מִבִּנְיָמִן | mibbinyāmîn} ‘from Benjamin’, which identifies the group. The numerals šəmōnāʾ-ʿăsār {שְׁמֹנָה־עָשָׂר | šəmōnāʾ-ʿăsār} ‘eighteen’ and ʾelef {אֶלֶף | ʾelef} ‘thousand’ appose ʾîš {אִישׁ | ʾîš} ‘men’. The direct object marker ʾet- {אֶת־ | ʾet-} marks kol-ʾēlleh {כָּל־אֵלֶּה | kol-ʾēlleh} ‘all these’ as the total. Finally, the construct chain ʾănāšē-ḥāyil {אַנְשֵׁי־חָיִל | ʾănāšē-ḥāyil} ‘men of valor’ attributes their character. English shifts the Hebrew VSO order to SVO for clarity while preserving numerical emphasis and collective identity. |