וַתְּהִ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ אֲרֻכָּ֔ה בֵּ֚ין בֵּ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל וּבֵ֖ין בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֑ד וְדָוִד֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ וְחָזֵ֔ק וּבֵ֥ית שָׁא֖וּל הֹלְכִ֥ים וְדַלִּֽים׃ ס
And the war was long between the house of Shaʾul and the house of Dawid, and Dawid was going and growing stronger, but the house of Shaʾul were going and becoming weaker.
Morphology
- וַתְּהִ֤י (vatehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Feminine verb agreeing with milḥamah.
- הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ (ha-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the war”; Notes: Subject of the verb vatehi.
- אֲרֻכָּ֔ה (ʾarukkah) – Root: ארך (ʾarakh); Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “long”; Notes: Describes the duration of the war.
- בֵּ֚ין (bein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition; Translation: “between”; Notes: Governs a dual relationship.
- בֵּ֣ית שָׁא֔וּל (beit Shaʾul) – Root: בית (beit) + שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the house of Shaʾul”; Notes: Represents Shaʾul’s dynasty/supporters.
- וּבֵ֖ין (u-vein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and between”; Notes: Second element of the comparison.
- בֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֑ד (beit Dawid) – Root: בית (beit) + דוד (Dawid); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the house of Dawid”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s faction and rule.
- וְדָוִד֙ (ve-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “and Dawid”; Notes: New clause subject.
- הֹלֵ֣ךְ (holekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was going / kept going”; Notes: Indicates progressive action.
- וְחָזֵ֔ק (ve-ḥazeq) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “and growing strong”; Notes: Used in parallel with holekh to describe rising power.
- וּבֵ֥ית שָׁא֖וּל (u-veit Shaʾul) – Root: בית (beit) + שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Conjunction + construct + proper noun; Translation: “but the house of Shaʾul”; Notes: Contrast with Dawid’s house.
- הֹלְכִ֥ים (holekhim) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were going”; Notes: Progressive or gradual action.
- וְדַלִּֽים (ve-dallim) – Root: דלל (dalal); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “and becoming weak / diminishing”; Notes: Opposite of ḥazeq, showing decline.