וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל֙ אֵ֣יךְ אֵלֵ֔ךְ וְשָׁמַ֥ע שָׁא֖וּל וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי ס וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה עֶגְלַ֤ת בָּקָר֙ תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ לִזְבֹּ֥חַ לַֽיהוָ֖ה בָּֽאתִי׃
And Shemuʾel said, “How shall I go? If Shaʾul hears, he will kill me.” And YHWH said, “Take a heifer in your hand and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to YHWH.’
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Shemuʾel speaking.
- שְׁמוּאֵל֙ (Shemuʾel) – Root: שמואל (Shemuʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shemuʾel”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- אֵ֣יךְ (ʾeikh) – Root: איך (ʾeikh); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “How”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- אֵלֵ֔ךְ (ʾelekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “shall I go”; Notes: Expresses uncertainty.
- וְשָׁמַ֥ע (ve-shamaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he hears”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul’s potential reaction.
- שָׁא֖וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- וַהֲרָגָ֑נִי (va-haragani) – Root: הרג (harag); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “he will kill me”; Notes: Expresses Shemuʾel’s fear.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH speaking.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- עֶגְלַ֤ת (ʿeglat) – Root: עגל (ʿegel); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “a heifer”; Notes: A young cow.
- בָּקָר֙ (baqar) – Root: בקר (baqar); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “of cattle”; Notes: Specifies the type of heifer.
- תִּקַּ֣ח (tiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “take”; Notes: A command to Shemuʾel.
- בְּיָדֶ֔ךָ (beyadekha) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your hand”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- וְאָ֣מַרְתָּ֔ (ve-ʾamarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you shall say”; Notes: Instructions from YHWH.
- לִזְבֹּ֥חַ (lizboʿaḥ) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to sacrifice”; Notes: Purpose clause.
- לַֽיהוָ֖ה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: The recipient of the sacrifice.
- בָּֽאתִי׃ (baʾti) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have come”; Notes: Shemuʾel’s stated purpose.