וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לָרָצִים֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים עָלָ֜יו סֹ֥בּוּ וְהָמִ֣יתוּ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה כִּ֤י גַם־יָדָם֙ עִם־דָּוִ֔ד וְכִ֤י יָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַ ה֔וּא וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם לִפְגֹ֖עַ בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס
And the king said to the runners who stood by him, “Turn and put to death the priests of YHWH, for their hand is also with Dawid, and because they knew that he was fleeing, and they did not reveal it to me.” But the servants of the king were not willing to stretch forth their hand to strike the priests of YHWH.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyōmer) – Root: אמר (ʾāmar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces the king’s command.
- הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- לָרָצִים֩ (la-rātsīm) – Root: רץ (rāts); Form: Noun, masculine plural definite; Translation: “to the runners”; Notes: Refers to royal guards or messengers.
- הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים (ha-nitsṣavīm) – Root: נצב (nitsṣav); Form: Nifal participle, masculine plural definite; Translation: “who stood”; Notes: Describes their position.
- עָלָ֜יו (ʿālāw) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “by him”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
- סֹ֥בּוּ (sōbbū) – Root: סבב (sāvav); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Turn”; Notes: Command to change position.
- וְהָמִ֣יתוּ (wə-hāmītū) – Root: מות (mūt); Form: Hifil imperative masculine plural; Translation: “put to death”; Notes: Direct command.
- כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה (kohănē YHWH) – Root: כהן (kōhēn); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + proper noun; Translation: “the priests of YHWH”; Notes: Identifies those targeted.
- כִּ֤י (kī) – Root: כי (kī); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- גַם־יָדָם֙ (gam-yādām) – Root: יד (yād); Form: Adverb + noun, feminine singular construct + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “also their hand”; Notes: Indicates complicity.
- עִם־דָּוִ֔ד (ʿim-Dāwid) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “with Dawid”; Notes: Associates them with Dawid.
- וְכִ֤י (wə-kī) – Root: כי (kī); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and because”; Notes: Adds another reason.
- יָֽדְעוּ֙ (yādəʿū) – Root: ידע (yādaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they knew”; Notes: Past knowledge.
- כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַ (kī-bōrēaḥ) – Root: ברח (bāraḥ); Form: Qal participle, masculine singular; Translation: “that he was fleeing”; Notes: Ongoing action.
- ה֔וּא (hūʾ) – Root: הוא (hūʾ); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ (wə-lō gālū) – Root: גלה (gālāh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they did not reveal”; Notes: Omission of duty.
- אֶת־אָזְנִ֑י (ʾet-ʾāznī) – Root: אוזן (ʾōzen); Form: Direct object marker + noun, feminine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my ear”; Notes: Figurative for informing.
- וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ (wə-lō-ʾāvū) – Root: אבה (ʾāvāh); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “but they were not willing”; Notes: Indicates refusal.
- עַבְדֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (ʿavdē ha-melekh) – Root: עבד (ʿéved); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the servants of the king”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul’s guards.
- לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ (lishloaḥ) – Root: שלח (shālaḥ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to stretch forth”; Notes: Expresses intended action.
- לִפְגֹ֖עַ (lifgōaʿ) – Root: פגע (pāgaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to strike”; Notes: Violent intent.
- בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (bə-kohănē YHWH) – Root: כהן (kōhēn); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural construct + proper noun; Translation: “the priests of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to those whom Shaʾul commanded to be executed.