וַיֹּאמֶר֩ דֹּ֨וד שָׁא֥וּל אֵלָ֛יו וְאֶֽל־נַעֲרֹ֖ו אָ֣ן הֲלַכְתֶּ֑ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲתֹנֹ֔ות וַנִּרְאֶ֣ה כִי־אַ֔יִן וַנָּבֹ֖וא אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵֽל׃
And the uncle of Shaʾul said to him and to his servant, “Where did you go?” And he said, “To seek the donkeys, and when we saw that they were not there, we came to Shemuʾel.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- דֹּ֨וד (dod) – Root: דוד (dod); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “uncle”; Notes: Refers to a paternal relative.
- שָׁא֥וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Name of a person.
- אֵלָ֛יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- וְאֶֽל־נַעֲרֹ֖ו (ve-el-naʿaro) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and to his servant”; Notes: Indicates inclusion.
- אָ֣ן (ʾan) – Root: אן (ʾan); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “where”; Notes: Asks about location.
- הֲלַכְתֶּ֑ם (halakhtem) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “did you go”; Notes: Past tense inquiry.
- וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Repeats speech action.
- לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ (le-vaqqesh) – Root: בקש (baqqesh); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to seek”; Notes: Expresses intent.
- אֶת־הָ֣אֲתֹנֹ֔ות (et-ha-atonot) – Root: אתן (aton); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun, feminine plural; Translation: “the donkeys”; Notes: Refers to lost animals.
- וַנִּרְאֶ֣ה (va-nirʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person plural; Translation: “and we saw”; Notes: Collective action.
- כִי־אַ֔יִן (ki-ʾayin) – Root: אין (ʾayin); Form: Conjunction + negative existential; Translation: “that they were not”; Notes: Denotes absence.
- וַנָּבֹ֖וא (va-navo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person plural; Translation: “and we came”; Notes: Sequential action.
- אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵֽל (el-Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “to Shemuʾel”; Notes: Name of a prophet.