וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע עֹ֜וד דָּוִ֗ד וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יָדֹ֨עַ יָדַ֜ע אָבִ֗יךָ כִּֽי־מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אַל־יֵֽדַע־זֹ֥את יְהֹונָתָ֖ן פֶּן־יֵֽעָצֵ֑ב וְאוּלָ֗ם חַי־יְהוָה֙ וְחֵ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ כִּ֣י כְפֶ֔שַׂע בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵ֥ין הַמָּֽוֶת׃
And Dawid swore again and said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes, and he said, ‘Let Yehonatan not know this, lest he be grieved.’ But as YHWH lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשָּׁבַ֨ע (vayyishshavaʿ) – Root: שבע (shavaʿ); Form: Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular, Nifal; Translation: “And he swore”; Notes: Reflexive or passive action.
- עֹ֜וד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “again”; Notes: Indicates repetition.
- דָּוִ֗ד (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the sentence.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces speech.
- יָדֹ֨עַ יָדַ֜ע (yadoaʿ yadaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Infinitive absolute + perfect 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “Certainly knows”; Notes: The infinitive absolute emphasizes certainty.
- אָבִ֗יךָ (avikha) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your father”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- כִּֽי־מָצָ֤אתִי (ki-matsaʾti) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Perfect 1st person singular, Qal; Translation: “that I have found”; Notes: Follows “knows” as a subordinate clause.
- חֵן֙ (ḥen) – Root: חן (ḥen); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “favor”; Notes: Object of the verb.
- בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (be-ʿeinekha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, feminine dual construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Indicates perception.
- וַיֹּ֛אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shaʾul’s speech.
- אַל־יֵֽדַע־זֹ֥את (ʾal-yedaʿ-zot) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Jussive 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “Let him not know this”; Notes: A directive statement.
- יְהֹונָתָ֖ן (Yehonatan) – Root: יהונתן (Yehonatan); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yehonatan”; Notes: The intended subject of the command.
- פֶּן־יֵֽעָצֵ֑ב (pen-yeʿatsev) – Root: עצב (ʿatsav); Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular, Nifal; Translation: “lest he be grieved”; Notes: Expresses concern.
- וְאוּלָ֗ם (veʾulam) – Root: אולם (ʾulam); Form: Adverb; Translation: “But”; Notes: Contrastive.
- חַי־יְהוָה֙ (ḥai-YHWH) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “As YHWH lives”; Notes: An oath.
- וְחֵ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ (ve-ḥei nafshekha) – Root: חיה (ḥayah) + נפש (nefesh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + noun, feminine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And as your soul lives”; Notes: Second part of the oath.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- כְפֶ֔שַׂע (ke-fesaʿ) – Root: פשׂע (fesaʿ); Form: Noun, masculine singular, construct; Translation: “a step”; Notes: Expresses proximity.
- בֵּינִ֖י (beini) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “between me”; Notes: Expresses separation.
- וּבֵ֥ין הַמָּֽוֶת׃ (u-vein ha-mavet) – Root: מות (mavet); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “and death”; Notes: Expresses imminent danger.