נִחַ֗מְתִּי כִּֽי־הִמְלַ֤כְתִּי אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־שָׁב֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְאֶת־דְּבָרַ֖י לֹ֣א הֵקִ֑ים וַיִּ֨חַר֙ לִשְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְעַ֥ק אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃
“I regret that I have made Shaʾul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My words.” And Shemuʾel was distressed, and he cried out to YHWH all night.
Morphology
- נִחַ֗מְתִּי (niḥamti) – Root: נחם (naḥam); Form: Nifal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I regret”; Notes: Expresses divine sorrow or change of course.
- כִּֽי־הִמְלַ֤כְתִּי (ki-himlakhti) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “that I have made king”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s action in appointing Shaʾul.
- אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ (ʾet-Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular, with direct object marker; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The object of divine regret.
- לְמֶ֔לֶךְ (le-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “as king”; Notes: Denotes the royal office.
- כִּֽי־שָׁב֙ (ki-shav) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “for he has turned back”; Notes: Indicates disobedience.
- מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י (me-aḥarai) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “from following Me”; Notes: Indicates rejection of divine guidance.
- וְאֶת־דְּבָרַ֖י (ve-ʾet-devarai) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and My words”; Notes: Refers to divine commands.
- לֹ֣א הֵקִ֑ים (lo heqim) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he has not carried out”; Notes: Shows failure to obey.
- וַיִּ֨חַר֙ (vayyiḥar) – Root: חרה (ḥarah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he was distressed”; Notes: Refers to Shemuʾel’s reaction.
- לִשְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (li-Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular, with preposition; Translation: “to Shemuʾel”; Notes: The recipient of distress.
- וַיִּזְעַ֥ק (vayyizʿaq) – Root: זעק (zaʿaq); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he cried out”; Notes: A desperate prayer or plea.
- אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה (ʾel-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name, with preposition; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: The recipient of Shemuʾel’s distress.
- כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה (kol-ha-laylah) – Root: לילה (laylah); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct, with definite article; Translation: “all night”; Notes: Duration of Shemuʾel’s prayer.