וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הַאֶ֨פֶס עֹ֥וד אִישׁ֙ לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה עִמֹּ֖ו חֶ֣סֶד אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר צִיבָא֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עֹ֛וד בֵּ֥ן לִיהֹונָתָ֖ן נְכֵ֥ה רַגְלָֽיִם׃
And the king said, “Is there no one else of the house of Shaʾul, that I may show him the kindness of God?” And Tsiva said to the king, “There is still a son of Yehonatan, lame in his feet.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyōmer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks continuation in the narrative.
- הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to King Dawid.
- הַאֶ֨פֶס (ha-ʾefes) – Root: אפס; Form: Interrogative particle with definite article; Translation: “Is there none”; Notes: Expresses a sense of searching or urgency.
- עֹ֥וד (ʿōd) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “still / yet”; Notes: Reinforces possibility of remaining descendants.
- אִישׁ֙ (ʾish) – Root: איש; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a man / anyone”; Notes: Stands for any potential descendant.
- לְבֵ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל (le-veit Shaʾul) – Root: בית, שאול; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “of the house of Shaʾul”; Notes: Indicates lineage or household.
- וְאֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה (ve-ʾeʿeseh) – Root: עשה; Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular with vav; Translation: “and I will do”; Notes: Expresses Dawid’s intent.
- עִמֹּ֖ו (ʿimmō) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Refers to the recipient of kindness.
- חֶ֣סֶד (ḥesed) – Root: חסד; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “kindness / loyalty”; Notes: Often implies covenantal loyalty.
- אֱלֹהִ֑ים (ʾElohim) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun, masculine plural in form but singular in meaning; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to divine standard of kindness.
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayyōmer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks Tsiva’s response.
- צִיבָא֙ (Tsiva) – Root: ציבא; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tsiva”; Notes: Personal name.
- אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (el-ha-melekh) – Root: אל, מלך; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Addressed to Dawid.
- עֹ֛וד (ʿōd) – Root: עוד; Form: Adverb; Translation: “still”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes continuation of the line.
- בֵּ֥ן (ben) – Root: בן; Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a son”; Notes: Indicates Yehonatan’s surviving offspring.
- לִיהֹונָתָ֖ן (li-Yehonatan) – Root: יהונתן; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “of Yehonatan”; Notes: Son of Shaʾul and close friend of Dawid.
- נְכֵ֥ה (neḵeh) – Root: נכה; Form: Adjective; Translation: “lame / disabled”; Notes: Describes physical condition.
- רַגְלָֽיִם (raglayim) – Root: רגל; Form: Dual noun; Translation: “feet”; Notes: The condition affects both feet.