וְעַתָּ֗ה יִֽשְׁמַֽע־נָא֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֣י עַבְדֹּ֑ו אִם־יְהוָ֞ה הֱסִֽיתְךָ֥ בִי֙ יָרַ֣ח מִנְחָ֔ה וְאִ֣ם בְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֗ם אֲרוּרִ֥ים הֵם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה כִּֽי־גֵרְשׁ֣וּנִי הַיֹּ֗ום מֵהִסְתַּפֵּ֜חַ בְּנַחֲלַ֤ת יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֵ֥ךְ עֲבֹ֖ד אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים׃
And now, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If YHWH has incited you against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is men, they are cursed before YHWH, for they have driven me out this day from having a share in the inheritance of YHWH, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֗ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿtt); Form: Adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a new statement or appeal.
- יִֽשְׁמַֽע־נָא֙ (yishmaʿ-na) – Root: שמע (shmʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + particle; Translation: “let him hear”; Notes: A plea for attention.
- אֲדֹנִ֣י (ʾadoni) – Root: אדן (ʾdn); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: An honorific form of address.
- הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (hammelekh) – Root: מלך (mlk); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- אֵ֖ת (ʾet) – Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: (not translated); Notes: Marks the direct object.
- דִּבְרֵ֣י (divrei) – Root: דבר (dbr); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “words of”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- עַבְדֹּ֑ו (ʿavdo) – Root: עבד (ʿbd); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servant”; Notes: Refers to Dawid.
- אִם־יְהוָ֞ה (ʾim-YHWH) – Root: אם (ʾm); Form: Conditional particle + proper noun; Translation: “If YHWH”; Notes: Introduces a condition.
- הֱסִֽיתְךָ֥ (hesitkha) – Root: סות (sut); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “has incited you”; Notes: Indicates causation.
- בִי֙ (bi) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “against me”; Notes: Indicates direction of action.
- יָרַ֣ח (yarah) – Root: רוח (rḥ); Form: Hifil jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “let Him accept”; Notes: A plea for divine intervention.
- מִנְחָ֔ה (minḥah) – Root: מנח (mnḥ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “an offering”; Notes: Refers to a sacrificial gift.
- וְאִ֣ם (ve-im) – Root: אם (ʾm); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “but if”; Notes: Introduces an alternative.
- בְּנֵ֣י הָאָדָ֗ם (benei ha-adam) – Root: בן (bn) + אדם (ʾdm); Form: Construct noun phrase, masculine plural + definite noun; Translation: “men”; Notes: Refers to human instigators.
- אֲרוּרִ֥ים (ʾarurim) – Root: ארר (ʾrr); Form: Passive participle, masculine plural; Translation: “cursed”; Notes: Indicates divine judgment.
- הֵם֙ (hem) – Root: הם (hm); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the perpetrators.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (pnh); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates presence before YHWH.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- כִּֽי־גֵרְשׁ֣וּנִי (ki-gereshuni) – Root: גרש (grsh); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for they have driven me out”; Notes: Expresses exile.
- הַיֹּ֗ום (hayyom) – Root: יום (ywm); Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “this day”; Notes: Emphasizes immediacy.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾmr); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- לֵ֥ךְ עֲבֹ֖ד (lekh ʿavod) – Root: הלך (hlk) + עבד (ʿbd); Form: Imperatives, singular; Translation: “Go, serve”; Notes: Command of exile.
- אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִֽים (ʾelohim aḥerim) – Root: אל (ʾl) + אחר (ʾḥr); Form: Noun phrase, masculine plural; Translation: “other gods”; Notes: Refers to idolatry.