וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י דָוִ֔ד אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד הַֽנְקַלָּ֤ה בְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ הִתְחַתֵּ֣ן בַּמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאָנֹכִ֖י אִֽישׁ־רָ֥שׁ וְנִקְלֶֽה׃
And the servants of Shaʾul spoke these words in the ears of Dawid, and Dawid said, “Is it a light thing in your eyes to become the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?”
Morphology
- וַֽיְדַבְּר֞וּ (va-yedabberú) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they spoke”; Notes: Intensive verb form indicating communication.
- עַבְדֵ֤י (ʿavdé) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the servants of”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul’s servants.
- שָׁאוּל֙ (Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The king’s name.
- בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (be-ʾozné) – Root: אוזן (ʾozen); Form: Noun, feminine dual construct with preposition; Translation: “in the ears of”; Notes: Indicates direct communication.
- דָוִ֔ד (Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: The recipient of speech.
- אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים (ʾet-ha-devarím) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite with direct object marker; Translation: “the words”; Notes: The content of their speech.
- הָאֵ֑לֶּה (ha-élleh) – Root: אלה (elleh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine plural; Translation: “these”; Notes: Refers to the words spoken.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yóʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- דָּוִ֗ד (Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: The speaker.
- הַֽנְקַלָּ֤ה (ha-neqaláh) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Nifal participle, feminine singular, definite; Translation: “Is it a light thing”; Notes: Expresses humility and disbelief.
- בְעֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ (be-ʿeineykhém) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, feminine dual with 2nd person masculine plural suffix, prepositional construct; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Expression denoting judgment.
- הִתְחַתֵּ֣ן (hitḥattén) – Root: חתן (ḥatan); Form: Hitpael infinitive construct; Translation: “to become a son-in-law”; Notes: Reflexive verb indicating a status change.
- בַּמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ba-mélekh) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite with preposition; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Refers to marriage alliance with Shaʾul.
- וְאָנֹכִ֖י (ve-ʾanokhí) – Root: אנכי (ʾanokhi); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Emphasizing Dawid’s lowly state.
- אִֽישׁ־רָ֥שׁ (ʾish-rásh) – Root: רוש (rosh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “a poor man”; Notes: Indicates social status.
- וְנִקְלֶֽה (ve-niqleh) – Root: קלל (qalal); Form: Nifal participle, masculine singular; Translation: “and lightly esteemed”; Notes: Expresses Dawid’s humility.