וַיִּקְרָ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לַגִּבְעֹנִ֖ים וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞ים לֹ֣א מִבְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הֵ֗מָּה כִּ֚י אִם־מִיֶּ֣תֶר הָאֱמֹרִ֔י וּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם וַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁ שָׁאוּל֙ לְהַכֹּתָ֔ם בְּקַנֹּאתֹ֥ו לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃
And the king called for the Giveʿonim and spoke to them; now the Giveʿonim were not of the children of Yisraʾel, but of the remainder of the Emori; and the children of Yisraʾel had sworn to them, but Shaʾul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the children of Yisraʾel and Yehuda.
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרָ֥א (vayyiqra) – Root: קרא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Typical narrative form, sequential verb introducing a new scene.
- הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to King David, the subject of the action.
- לַגִּבְעֹנִ֖ים (la-Givʿonim) – Root: גבעון; Form: Preposition + definite plural proper noun; Translation: “to the Givʿonim”; Notes: The object of the verb “called”; refers to the non-Israelite group living under covenant with Israel (cf. Joshua 9).
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Common narrative formula introducing direct speech.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (aleihem) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural pronominal suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers back to the Givʿonim; marks the direction of the speech.
- וְהַגִּבְעֹנִ֞ים (veha-Givʿonim) – Root: גבעון; Form: Conjunction + definite plural proper noun; Translation: “and the Givʿonim”; Notes: Begins an explanatory parenthesis about their identity.
- לֹ֣א (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the predicate about the Givʿonim’s ethnic affiliation.
- מִבְּנֵ֧י (mi-benei) – Root: בן; Form: Preposition + construct plural masculine noun; Translation: “from the sons of”; Notes: Introduces a genitive relationship—”not from the sons of.”
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל (Yisra’el) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the covenant nation descended from Yaʿaqov.
- הֵ֗מָּה (hemah) – Root: הם; Form: Independent pronoun, 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Emphatic identification—“they were not…”
- כִּ֚י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “but” or “for”; Notes: Introduces contrast or reason.
- אִם־ (im) – Root: אם; Form: Contrastive particle; Translation: “rather”; Notes: Emphasizes the alternative identity.
- מִיֶּ֣תֶר (mi-yeter) – Root: יתר; Form: Preposition + masculine singular noun, construct; Translation: “from the remainder of”; Notes: Indicates they were survivors or remnants.
- הָאֱמֹרִ֔י (ha-ʾEmori) – Root: אמר; Form: Noun, masculine singular definite; Translation: “the Amorite”; Notes: Refers to one of the native peoples of the land subdued by Israel.
- וּבְנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (u-venei Yisra’el) – Root: בן; Form: Conjunction + construct plural noun + proper noun; Translation: “and the children of Yisra’el”; Notes: Subjects of the oath being referenced.
- נִשְׁבְּע֣וּ (nishbeʿu) – Root: שבע; Form: Niphal perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “had sworn”; Notes: Niphal passive or reflexive—shows solemn covenant-making.
- לָהֶ֔ם (lahem) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the Givʿonim; object of the covenantal oath.
- וַיְבַקֵּ֤שׁ (vayyebaqqesh) – Root: בקש; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “but he sought”; Notes: Piel implies intensified effort or determination.
- שָׁאוּל֙ (Shaʾul) – Root: שאל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Sha’ul”; Notes: Former king of Israel who broke the oath.
- לְהַכֹּתָ֔ם (le-hakkotam) – Root: נכה; Form: Hiphil infinitive construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “to strike them”; Notes: Infinitive of violent action, referring to attempted annihilation.
- בְּקַנֹּאתֹ֥ו (be-qannoʾto) – Root: קנא; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct with 3ms suffix; Translation: “in his zeal”; Notes: Refers to Sha’ul’s fervent but misguided loyalty.
- לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (li-venei Yisra’el) – Root: בן; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “for the children of Yisra’el”; Notes: Indicates the intended beneficiary of Sha’ul’s action.
- וִיהוּדָֽה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “and Yehudah”; Notes: Reinforces the national scope of Sha’ul’s zeal.