וְיָצָ֧אתִי אַחֲרָ֛יו וְהִכִּתִ֖יו וְהִצַּ֣לְתִּי מִפִּ֑יו וַיָּ֣קָם עָלַ֔י וְהֶחֱזַ֨קְתִּי֙ בִּזְקָנֹ֔ו וְהִכִּתִ֖יו וַהֲמִיתִּֽיו׃
And I went out after it, and I struck it, and I delivered it from its mouth. And when it rose against me, I seized it by its beard, and I struck it and killed it.
Morphology
- וְיָצָ֧אתִי (ve-yatsaʾti) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “And I went out”; Notes: Dawid describes his response to the attack.
- אַחֲרָ֛יו (aḥarav) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “after it”; Notes: Refers to pursuing the predator.
- וְהִכִּתִ֖יו (ve-hikkitiv) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and I struck it”; Notes: Indicates an aggressive response.
- וְהִצַּ֣לְתִּי (ve-hitsalti) – Root: נצל (natsal); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I delivered”; Notes: Refers to rescuing the sheep.
- מִפִּ֑יו (mi-piv) – Root: פה (peh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from its mouth”; Notes: Refers to the predator’s jaws.
- וַיָּ֣קָם (vayyaqam) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it rose”; Notes: The animal retaliates.
- עָלַ֔י (ʿalay) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “against me”; Notes: Indicates the predator’s attack.
- וְהֶחֱזַ֨קְתִּי֙ (ve-heḥezaqti) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I seized”; Notes: Describes Dawid’s firm grip on the predator.
- בִּזְקָנֹ֔ו (bi-zqano) – Root: זקן (zaqan); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “by its beard”; Notes: Indicates Dawid grabbed the animal directly.
- וְהִכִּתִ֖יו (ve-hikkitiv) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and I struck it”; Notes: Describes another blow.
- וַהֲמִיתִּֽיו (va-hamitiv) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 1st person singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and I killed it”; Notes: Indicates the final act of defense.