וְעַתָּ֞ה הִנֵּ֥ה הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ לִפְנֵיכֶ֗ם וַאֲנִי֙ זָקַ֣נְתִּי וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי וּבָנַ֖י הִנָּ֣ם אִתְּכֶ֑ם וַאֲנִי֙ הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם מִנְּעֻרַ֖י עַד־הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃
And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are with you. And I have walked before you from my youth until this day.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֞ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a transition.
- הִנֵּ֥ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Calls attention to a statement.
- הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to the newly appointed king.
- מִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ (mithalekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Hitpael participle masculine singular; Translation: “walks”; Notes: Describes an ongoing action.
- לִפְנֵיכֶ֗ם (lifneikhem) – Root: לפני (lifnei); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates the presence of the king.
- וַאֲנִי֙ (va-ani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “And I”; Notes: Contrast with the king.
- זָקַ֣נְתִּי (zaqanti) – Root: זקן (zaqan); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have grown old”; Notes: Expresses Samuel’s advanced age.
- וָשַׂ֔בְתִּי (va-savti) – Root: שׂיב (sav); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I have become gray”; Notes: Indicates aging.
- וּבָנַ֖י (u-vanai) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my sons”; Notes: Refers to Samuel’s children.
- הִנָּ֣ם (hinam) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “they are”; Notes: Indicates their presence.
- אִתְּכֶ֑ם (ittekhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Shows they remain among the people.
- וַאֲנִי֙ (va-ani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Pronoun, 1st person singular; Translation: “And I”; Notes: Emphasizes contrast.
- הִתְהַלַּ֣כְתִּי (hithalakhti) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Hitpael perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have walked”; Notes: Describes a lifelong action.
- לִפְנֵיכֶ֔ם (lifneikhem) – Root: לפני (lifnei); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates leadership.
- מִנְּעֻרַ֖י (min-neʿurai) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “from my youth”; Notes: Indicates duration of service.
- עַד־הַיֹּ֥ום (ʿad-ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “until this day”; Notes: Expresses continuity.
- הַזֶּֽה׃ (hazzeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the current day.