וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל קָרַ֨ע יְהוָ֜ה אֶֽת־מַמְלְכ֧וּת יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מֵעָלֶ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֑ום וּנְתָנָ֕הּ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ הַטֹּ֥וב מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
And Shemuʾel said to him, “YHWH has torn the kingdom of Yisraʾel from you today and has given it to your companion, who is better than you.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shemuʾel’s declaration.
- אֵלָיו֙ (ʾelav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל (Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shemuʾel”; Notes: The speaker.
- קָרַ֨ע (qaraʿ) – Root: קרע (qaraʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has torn”; Notes: Parallels the physical tearing of the robe.
- יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The subject of the action.
- אֶֽת־מַמְלְכ֧וּת (ʾet-mamlekhut) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “the kingdom of”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel’s monarchy.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The nation under Shaʾul’s rule.
- מֵעָלֶ֖יךָ (meʿalekha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from you”; Notes: Expresses Shaʾul’s removal.
- הַיֹּ֑ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “today”; Notes: Specifies the immediacy of the action.
- וּנְתָנָ֕הּ (u-netanah) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and has given it”; Notes: Refers to transferring the kingdom.
- לְרֵעֲךָ֖ (le-reʿakha) – Root: רֵעַ (reʿa); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your companion”; Notes: The new recipient of the kingship.
- הַטֹּ֥וב (ha-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “who is better”; Notes: A qualitative comparison.
- מִמֶּֽךָּ (mimmekka) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “than you”; Notes: Highlights the superiority of the new king.