וַיֹּאמֶר֩ שָׁא֨וּל חָטָ֜אתִי שׁ֣וּב בְּנִֽי־דָוִ֗ד כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָרַ֤ע לְךָ֙ עֹ֔וד תַּ֠חַת אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָקְרָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֛י בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה הִנֵּ֥ה הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּי וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖ה הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
And Sha’ul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son Dawid, for I will not harm you anymore, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly and have erred greatly.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾmr); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative continuation.
- שָׁא֨וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (šʾl); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Sha’ul”; Notes: The name of the king of Yisra’el.
- חָטָ֜אתִי (ḥataʾti) – Root: חטא (ḥṭʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have sinned”; Notes: A confession of wrongdoing.
- שׁ֣וּב (shuv) – Root: שוב (šwb); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Return”; Notes: A command or plea.
- בְּנִֽי־דָוִ֗ד (beni-Dawid) – Root: בן (bn) + דוד (Dawid); Form: Noun construct + proper noun; Translation: “my son, Dawid”; Notes: Expresses affection or reconciliation.
- כִּ֠י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- לֹֽא־אָרַ֤ע (lo-ʾaraʿ) – Root: רעע (rʿʿ); Form: Hiphil imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will not harm”; Notes: Expresses future intention.
- לְךָ֙ (lekha) – Root: לְ (l) + אתה (ʾth); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the statement to Dawid.
- עֹ֔וד (ʿod) – Root: עוד (ʿwd); Form: Adverb; Translation: “anymore”; Notes: Indicates discontinuation.
- תַּ֠חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (tḥt); Form: Preposition; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Indicates causation.
- אֲשֶׁ֨ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾšr); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a clause.
- יָקְרָ֥ה (yaqrah) – Root: יקר (yqr); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “was precious”; Notes: Describes the value of Sha’ul’s life.
- נַפְשִׁ֛י (nafshi) – Root: נפש (nps); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my soul”; Notes: Refers to his life.
- בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ (beʿeineikha) – Root: עין (ʿyn); Form: Noun, dual construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Indicates perception.
- הַיֹּ֣ום (hayyom) – Root: יום (ywm); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “this day”; Notes: Specifies time.
- הַזֶּ֑ה (hazzeh) – Root: זה (zh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphasizes the present moment.
- הִנֵּ֥ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hnn); Form: Interjection; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Draws attention.
- הִסְכַּ֛לְתִּי (hiskalti) – Root: סכל (skl); Form: Hiphil perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have acted foolishly”; Notes: A confession of error.
- וָאֶשְׁגֶּ֖ה (vaʾeshgeh) – Root: שגה (šgh); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and I have erred”; Notes: Expresses wrongdoing.
- הַרְבֵּ֥ה (harbeh) – Root: רבה (rbh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “greatly”; Notes: Emphasizes the extent.
- מְאֹֽד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (mʾd); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Further intensifies the statement.