וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ לֹ֣ו עֲבָדָ֗יו יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ לַאדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה בְתוּלָ֔ה וְעָֽמְדָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּתְהִי־לֹ֖ו סֹכֶ֑נֶת וְשָׁכְבָ֣ה בְחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וְחַ֖ם לַאדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And his servants said to him, “Let them seek for my lord the king a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and she shall be a caregiver to him, and she shall lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Typical narrative form introducing speech.
- לֹ֣ו (lo) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Preposition לְ + third person masculine singular pronominal suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to King Dawid.
- עֲבָדָ֗יו (ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servants”; Notes: Construct chain with suffix; subject of the verb.
- יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ (yevaqeshu) – Root: בקש (baqash); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “Let them seek”; Notes: Volitional/jussive sense.
- לַאדֹנִ֤י (la-adoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Preposition לְ + noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for my lord”; Notes: Term of respect referring to the king.
- הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Follows possessive phrase “my lord.” Refers to Dawid.
- נַעֲרָ֣ה (naʿarah) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a young girl”; Notes: Used here in reference to a young woman.
- בְתוּלָ֔ה (betulah) – Root: בתל (batul); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “virgin”; Notes: Qualifies the previous noun “naʿarah.”
- וְעָֽמְדָה֙ (ve-ʿamda) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw; Translation: “and let her stand”; Notes: Paragogic form expressing purpose or intention.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + construct form plural noun; Translation: “before”; Notes: Common spatial preposition; indicates location or presence.
- הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Object of the preposition “before.”
- וּתְהִי־לֹ֖ו (u-tehi-lo) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw + preposition and pronominal suffix; Translation: “and she shall be to him”; Notes: Expresses purpose/result.
- סֹכֶ֑נֶת (sokhenet) – Root: סכן (sakhan); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a caregiver”; Notes: One who attends or ministers to another.
- וְשָׁכְבָ֣ה (ve-shakhvah) – Root: שכב (shakhav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular with waw; Translation: “and let her lie”; Notes: Paragogic for volitional use.
- בְחֵיקֶ֔ךָ (be-ḥeyqekha) – Root: חיק (ḥeyq); Form: Preposition with noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your bosom”; Notes: Intimate or nurturing space.
- וְחַ֖ם (ve-ḥam) – Root: חם (ḥam); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with waw; Translation: “and he may be warm”; Notes: Purpose/result clause for the king’s comfort.
- לַאדֹנִ֥י (la-adoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Preposition לְ + noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my lord”; Notes: Term of respect referring to the king.
- הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Apposition to “my lord.”