וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל שָׁאוּל֙ בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים הַֽאֵרֵד֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיַ֣ד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֥א עָנָ֖הוּ בַּיֹּ֥ום הַהֽוּא׃
And Shaʾul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Pelishtim? Will You give them into the hand of Yisraʾel?” But He did not answer him on that day.
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל (vayyishʾal) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he inquired”; Notes: Indicates Shaʾul seeking divine guidance.
- שָׁאוּל֙ (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The first king of Yisraʾel.
- בֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים (beʾelohim) – Root: אלהים (ʾelohim); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural; Translation: “of Elohim”; Notes: Indicates consulting the divine.
- הַֽאֵרֵד֙ (haʾered) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular, interrogative; Translation: “Shall I go down?”; Notes: Expresses a question.
- אַחֲרֵ֣י (aḥarei) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates pursuit.
- פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (Pelishtim) – Root: פלשת (Peleshet); Form: Proper noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to the Philistines.
- הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם (hattittem) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix, interrogative; Translation: “Will You give them?”; Notes: Directed at Elohim.
- בְּיַ֣ד (beyad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular; Translation: “into the hand of”; Notes: Idiomatic for delivering into power.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation.
- וְלֹ֥א (velo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “But not”; Notes: Introduces negation.
- עָנָ֖הוּ (ʿanahu) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “He answered him”; Notes: Refers to Elohim’s silence.
- בַּיֹּ֥ום (bayyom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Specifies the time frame.
- הַהֽוּא (hahuw) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Emphasizes the specific day.