וּמְפִיבֹ֨שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל יָרַ֖ד לִקְרַ֣את הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֨ה רַגְלָ֜יו וְלֹא־עָשָׂ֣ה שְׂפָמֹ֗ו וְאֶת־בְּגָדָיו֙ לֹ֣א כִבֵּ֔ס לְמִן־הַיֹּום֙ לֶ֣כֶת הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַד־הַיֹּ֖ום אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א בְשָׁלֹֽום׃
And Mefivoshet son of Sha’ul came down to meet the king, and he had not dressed his feet, nor had he trimmed his mustache, nor had he washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came in peace.
Morphology
- וּמְפִיבֹשֶׁת (u-Mefi-voshet) – Root: פיבושת; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “And Mefi-voshet”; Notes: Grandson of Sha’ul, son of Yonatan.
- בֶּן־שָׁאוּל (ben-Sha’ul) – Root: בן, שאול; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Sha’ul”; Notes: Patronymic expression.
- יָרַד (yarad) – Root: ירד; Form: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “came down”; Notes: Indicates movement toward the king.
- לִקְרַאת (likrat) – Root: קרא; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to meet”; Notes: Expresses intention.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to King Dawid.
- וְלֹא־עָשָׂה (ve-lo ʿasah) – Root: עשה; Form: Conjunction + negative + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he did not do”; Notes: Introduces a list of neglected actions.
- רַגְלָיו (raglav) – Root: רגל; Form: Noun feminine plural with 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his feet”; Notes: Refers to washing or care of the feet.
- וְלֹא־עָשָׂה (ve-lo ʿasah) – Root: עשה; Form: Repetition; Translation: “and he did not groom”; Notes: Refers to another act of grooming.
- שְׂפָמוֹ (sefamo) – Root: שׂפם; Form: Noun masculine singular with 3rd masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his mustache”; Notes: Untrimmed facial hair is a sign of mourning.
- וְאֶת־בְּגָדָיו (ve-et begadav) – Root: בגד; Form: Conjunction + object marker + noun masculine plural with suffix; Translation: “and his garments”; Notes: Direct object of the following verb.
- לֹא כִבֵּס (lo kibbes) – Root: כבס; Form: Negative + Piel perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he did not wash”; Notes: Indicates neglect of personal hygiene.
- לְמִן־הַיֹּום (le-min ha-yom) – Root: מן, יום; Form: Prepositions + definite noun; Translation: “from the day”; Notes: Introduces a temporal clause.
- לֶכֶת (leket) – Root: הלך; Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “the going”; Notes: Refers to the king’s departure.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the departure.
- עַד־הַיֹּום (ʿad ha-yom) – Root: עד, יום; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “until the day”; Notes: Marks end point of mourning.
- אֲשֶׁר־בָּא (asher-ba) – Root: בא; Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “when he came”; Notes: Refers to the king’s return.
- בְשָׁלוֹם (ve-shalom) – Root: שׁלם; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in peace”; Notes: Peaceful return from exile or battle.