אִֽישׁ׃

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 אִֽישׁ׃

   ISH

   men
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 אַלְפַּ֥יִם אִֽישׁ׃

   al-pa-YIM ISH

   two thousand men
3. clause🔊 וַיַּדְבִּ֤יקוּ אַחֲרָיו֙ עַד־גִּדְעֹ֔ם וַיַּכּ֥וּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אַלְפַּ֥יִם אִֽישׁ׃

   va-yad-bi-KU a-kha-RAV ad-gid-OM va-yak-KU mi-me-NU al-pa-YIM ISH

   and they pursued after him as far as Gidom and they struck down from him two thousand men
4. sentence🔊 וַיִּפְנ֞וּ וַיָּנֻ֤סוּ הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ אֶל־סֶ֣לַע הָֽרִמּ֔וֹן וַיְעֹֽלְלֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽמְסִלּ֔וֹת חֲמֵ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִ֑ישׁ וַיַּדְבִּ֤יקוּ אַחֲרָיו֙ עַד־גִּדְעֹ֔ם וַיַּכּ֥וּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אַלְפַּ֥יִם אִֽישׁ׃

   va-yif-NU va-ya-NU-su ha-mid-be-RA el-SE-la ha-rim-MON va-yo-le-LU-hu ba-me-si-LOT kha-ME-shet a-la-FIM ISH va-yad-bi-KU a-kha-RAV ad-gid-OM va-yak-KU mi-me-NU al-pa-YIM ISH

   and they turned and they fled to the wilderness to the rock of the Rimmon and they dealt harshly with him on the highways five of thousands men and they pursued after him as far as Gidom and they struck down from him two thousand men

Exegesis

The numeral construct chameshet alafim ish {חֲמֵ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִ֑ישׁ | ḥămêšet ʾălâp̄îm ʾîš} ‘five thousand men’ quantifies casualties.

The Hiphil vayadbiqu acharav {וַיַּדְבִּ֤יקוּ אַחֲרָיו֙ | wayyadbiqqû ʾaḥărāyw} ‘and they pursued after him’ with the spatial ad-gidom {עַד־גִּדְעֹ֔ם | ʿad-gîdʿôwm} ‘as far as Gidom’ underscores relentless chase, and vayakku mimmennu alpayim ish {וַיַּכּ֥וּ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אַלְפַּ֥יִם אִֽישׁ | wayyakku mimmennû ʾalp̄āyîm ʾîš} ‘and they struck from them two thousand men’ completes the tally, demonstrating the thoroughness of Israel’s pursuit.

Root and etymology

ʾ-y-š🔊 א־י־שʾ-y-š

“man, individual”

• 🔊 אִשָּׁהiššâwomanGenesis 2:23