וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יְהֹונָתָ֤ן בְּדָוִד֙ טֹ֔וב אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל אָבִ֑יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵ֠לָיו אַל־יֶחֱטָ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בְּעַבְדֹּ֣ו בְדָוִ֗ד כִּ֣י לֹ֤וא חָטָא֙ לָ֔ךְ וְכִ֥י מַעֲשָׂ֖יו טֹוב־לְךָ֥ מְאֹֽד׃
And Yehonatan spoke good of Dawid to Shaʾul his father, and he said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against Dawid, for he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds are very good for you.
Morphology
- וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר (va-yedabbér) – Root: דבר (dabar); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Indicates deliberate speech.
- יְהֹונָתָ֤ן (Yehonatan) – Root: יונתן (Yonatan); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehonatan”; Notes: The subject of the speech.
- בְּדָוִד֙ (be-Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “about Dawid”; Notes: The topic of the speech.
- טֹ֔וב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Describes the nature of the speech.
- אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל (ʾel-Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “to Shaʾul”; Notes: The recipient of the speech.
- אָבִ֑יו (ʾavív) – Root: אב (ʾav); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Identifies Shaʾul as Yehonatan’s father.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yóʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Yehonatan’s words.
- אֵ֠לָיו (ʾeláv) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- אַל־יֶחֱטָ֨א (ʾal-yeḥeta) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Qal jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Let him not sin”; Notes: A plea or prohibition.
- הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (ha-mélekh) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- בְּעַבְדֹּ֣ו (be-ʿavdó) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition and 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against his servant”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- בְדָוִ֗ד (be-Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “against Dawid”; Notes: Further identifies the servant.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reasoning.
- לֹ֤וא חָטָא֙ (lo ḥata) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “he has not sinned”; Notes: Declares Dawid’s innocence.
- לָ֔ךְ (lakh) – Root: לך (lakh); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- וְכִ֥י (ve-ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and because”; Notes: Provides further reasoning.
- מַעֲשָׂ֖יו (maʿasáv) – Root: מעשה (maʿaseh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his deeds”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s actions.
- טֹוב־לְךָ֥ (tov-lekha) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “good for you”; Notes: Highlights Dawid’s benefit to Shaʾul.
- מְאֹֽד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very much”; Notes: Emphasizes the extent of Dawid’s positive impact.