וַתְּהִ֤י הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ חֲזָקָ֣ה עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֣י שָׁא֑וּל וְרָאָ֨ה שָׁא֜וּל כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ גִּבֹּור֙ וְכָל־בֶּן־חַ֔יִל וַיַּאַסְפֵ֖הוּ אֵלָֽיו׃ ס
And the war was strong against the Pelishtim all the days of Shaʾul, and whenever Shaʾul saw any mighty man or any man of valor, he gathered him to himself.
Morphology
- וַתְּהִ֤י (vattehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Refers to the ongoing war.
- הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ (hammilḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Noun, feminine singular, definite; Translation: “the war”; Notes: Subject of the sentence.
- חֲזָקָ֣ה (ḥazakah) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “strong”; Notes: Describes the intensity of the war.
- עַל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (ʿal-Pelishtim) – Root: פלשת (Peleshet); Form: Proper noun, masculine plural, with preposition; Translation: “against the Pelishtim”; Notes: The opposing force.
- כֹּ֖ל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “all”; Notes: Refers to the entire duration.
- יְמֵ֣י (yeme) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the days of”; Notes: Indicates the lifespan of Shaʾul’s reign.
- שָׁא֑וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
- וְרָאָ֨ה (veraʾah) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he saw”; Notes: Describes Shaʾul’s action.
- שָׁא֜וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- כָּל־אִ֤ישׁ (kol-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “any man”; Notes: Refers to warriors.
- גִּבֹּור֙ (gibbor) – Root: גבר (gabar); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “mighty”; Notes: Describes the warriors Shaʾul sought.
- וְכָל־בֶּן־חַ֔יִל (ve-kol-ben-ḥayil) – Root: חיל (ḥayil); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “and every man of valor”; Notes: Additional category of warriors.
- וַיַּאַסְפֵ֖הוּ (vayyaʾasfehu) – Root: אסף (ʾasaf); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular, with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he gathered him”; Notes: Indicates drafting soldiers.
- אֵלָֽיו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to himself”; Notes: Shows Shaʾul’s personal recruitment.