וַיִּתְּנוּ־לֹו֩ פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֤י צִמֻּקִים֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָ֤כַל לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְלֹא־שָׁ֣תָה מַ֔יִם שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה לֵילֹֽות׃ ס
And they gave him a piece of pressed fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate, and his spirit returned to him, for he had not eaten bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
Morphology
- וַיִּתְּנוּ־לֹו֩ (va-yittenu-lo) – Root: נתן; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And they gave to him”; Notes: The subject refers to Dawid’s men.
- פֶ֨לַח (pelaḥ) – Root: פלח; Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “a piece”; Notes: Describes a portion of food.
- דְּבֵלָ֜ה (develah) – Root: דבלה; Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “pressed fig cake”; Notes: A type of dried fig pressed into a cake.
- וּשְׁנֵ֤י (u-shenei) – Root: שנים; Form: Numeral, masculine dual construct; Translation: “and two”; Notes: Modifies the noun.
- צִמֻּקִים֙ (tzimmuqim) – Root: צמק; Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “clusters of raisins”; Notes: A dried fruit provision.
- וַיֹּ֔אכַל (va-yoʾkhal) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he ate”; Notes: The Egyptian man eats.
- וַתָּ֥שָׁב (va-tashav) – Root: שוב; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it returned”; Notes: Refers to his spirit reviving.
- רוּחֹ֖ו (ruḥo) – Root: רוח; Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his spirit”; Notes: Symbolizes his renewed strength.
- אֵלָ֑יו (elav) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Emphasizes the revival.
- כִּ֠י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the explanation.
- לֹֽא־אָ֤כַל (lo-akhal) – Root: אכל; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had not eaten”; Notes: Past action explaining his weakness.
- לֶ֨חֶם֙ (leḥem) – Root: לחם; Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Standard food.
- וְלֹא־שָׁ֣תָה (ve-lo-shatah) – Root: שתה; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “nor had he drunk”; Notes: Reinforces lack of sustenance.
- מַ֔יִם (mayim) – Root: מים; Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “water”; Notes: Essential for survival.
- שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה (sheloshah) – Root: שלש; Form: Numeral, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “three”; Notes: Counts the duration.
- יָמִ֖ים (yamim) – Root: יום; Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “days”; Notes: Part of the time frame.
- וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה (u-sheloshah) – Root: שלש; Form: Numeral, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “and three”; Notes: Continues the time count.
- לֵילֹֽות׃ (leilot) – Root: לילה; Form: Noun, masculine plural absolute; Translation: “nights”; Notes: Completes the duration.