וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חָטָ֔אתִי עַתָּ֗ה כַּבְּדֵ֥נִי נָ֛א נֶ֥גֶד זִקְנֵֽי־עַמִּ֖י וְנֶ֣גֶד יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשׁ֣וּב עִמִּ֔י וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִי לַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
And he said, “I have sinned; now please honor me before the elders of my people and before Yisraʾel, and return with me, that I may bow down to YHWH your God.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shaʾul’s plea.
- חָטָ֔אתִי (ḥatati) – Root: חטא (ḥataʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have sinned”; Notes: A confession of wrongdoing.
- עַתָּ֗ה (ʿatta) – Root: עתה (ʿatta); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Indicates urgency.
- כַּבְּדֵ֥נִי (kabbedeni) – Root: כבד (kaved); Form: Piel imperative 2nd person masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “honor me”; Notes: A request to maintain dignity.
- נָ֛א (na) – Root: נא (na); Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Expresses urgency.
- נֶ֥גֶד (neged) – Root: נגד (neged); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates public recognition.
- זִקְנֵֽי־עַמִּ֖י (ziqnei-ʿammi) – Root: זקן (zaqen) + עם (ʿam); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “the elders of my people”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of Yisraʾel.
- וְנֶ֣גֶד (ve-neged) – Root: נגד (neged); Form: Preposition; Translation: “and before”; Notes: Emphasizes the audience.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the people as a nation.
- וְשׁ֣וּב (ve-shuv) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and return”; Notes: A plea for Shemuʾel to remain.
- עִמִּ֔י (ʿimmi) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “with me”; Notes: Indicates a desire for Shemuʾel’s support.
- וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֖יתִי (ve-hishtaḥaveyti) – Root: שחה (shaḥah); Form: Hishtafel perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “that I may bow down”; Notes: Expresses an act of worship.
- לַֽיהוָ֥ה (la-YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun, divine name, with preposition; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: The recipient of worship.
- אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ (ʾElohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾEloah); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Shows Shaʾul’s appeal to Shemuʾel’s relationship with YHWH.