וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ כָל־הָעָ֜ם אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל בְּעַד־עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וְאַל־נָמ֑וּת כִּֽי־יָסַ֤פְנוּ עַל־כָּל־חַטֹּאתֵ֨ינוּ֙ רָעָ֔ה לִשְׁאֹ֥ל לָ֖נוּ מֶֽלֶךְ׃ ס
And all the people said to Shemuʾel, “Pray for your servants to YHWH your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil—to ask for ourselves a king.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (vaiyomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Narrative past tense.
- כָל־הָעָ֜ם (kol-haʿam) – Root: כל (kol), עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: Collective noun.
- אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל (el-Shemuʾel) – Root: אל (el), שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Shemuʾel”; Notes: Direction of speech.
- הִתְפַּלֵּ֧ל (hitpallel) – Root: פלל (palal); Form: Hitpael imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Pray”; Notes: Reflexive or intensive action.
- בְּעַד־עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ (beʿad-ʿavadeikha) – Root: בעד (beʿad), עבד (ʿeved); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “for your servants”; Notes: Refers to the people speaking.
- אֶל־יְהוָ֥ה (el-YHWH) – Root: אל (el), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the prayer.
- אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (ʾeloheikha) – Root: אלה (ʾeloh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Construct form with possession.
- וְאַל־נָמ֑וּת (veʾal-namut) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 1st person plural cohortative; Translation: “that we may not die”; Notes: Expresses a plea.
- כִּֽי־יָסַ֤פְנוּ (ki-yasafnu) – Root: יסף (yasaf); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “for we have added”; Notes: Completed action.
- עַל־כָּל־חַטֹּאתֵ֨ינוּ֙ (ʿal-kol-ḥattoʾteinu) – Root: חטא (ḥata); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine plural construct + pronominal suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “to all our sins”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession.
- רָעָ֔ה (raʿah) – Root: רע (raʿ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to wrongdoing.
- לִשְׁאֹ֥ל (lishʾol) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to ask”; Notes: Infinitive form expresses intent.
- לָ֖נוּ (lanu) – Root: לנו (lanu); Form: Preposition + pronominal suffix 1st person plural; Translation: “for ourselves”; Notes: Emphasizes personal request.
- מֶֽלֶךְ׃ (melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a king”; Notes: Object of request.