וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל כֹּֽה־תֹאמְר֣וּ לְדָוִ֗ד אֵֽין־חֵ֤פֶץ לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ בְּמֹ֔הַר כִּ֗י בְּמֵאָה֙ עָרְלֹ֣ות פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים לְהִנָּקֵ֖ם בְּאֹיְבֵ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וְשָׁא֣וּל חָשַׁ֔ב לְהַפִּ֥יל אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
And Shaʾul said, “Thus you shall say to Dawid: ‘The king desires no bride price except a hundred foreskins of the Pelishtim, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” But Shaʾul thought to make Dawid fall by the hand of the Pelishtim.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yóʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- שָׁא֜וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The speaker.
- כֹּֽה־תֹאמְר֣וּ (koh-toʾamrú) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Thus you shall say”; Notes: Instructions given to the messengers.
- לְדָוִ֗ד (le-Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “to Dawid”; Notes: The recipient of the message.
- אֵֽין־חֵ֤פֶץ (ʾein-ḥéfets) – Root: חפץ (ḥafets); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with negative particle; Translation: “There is no desire”; Notes: Expresses what the king does not seek.
- לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (la-mélekh) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite with preposition; Translation: “for the king”; Notes: Specifies the subject.
- בְּמֹ֔הַר (be-móhar) – Root: מהר (mohar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “in a bride price”; Notes: Refers to the customary dowry.
- כִּ֗י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “except”; Notes: Introduces a condition.
- בְּמֵאָה֙ (be-meʾáh) – Root: מאה (meʾah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “a hundred”; Notes: Indicates the number required.
- עָרְלֹ֣ות (ʿorlot) – Root: ערלה (ʿorlah); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “foreskins”; Notes: Refers to the trophy Shaʾul demanded.
- פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (Pelištím) – Root: פלש (palash); Form: Proper noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to Israel’s enemies.
- לְהִנָּקֵ֖ם (le-hinnaqém) – Root: נקם (naqam); Form: Nifal infinitive construct; Translation: “to take vengeance”; Notes: Indicates purpose.
- בְּאֹיְבֵ֣י (be-ʾoyvé) – Root: אויב (ʾoyev); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with preposition; Translation: “on the enemies of”; Notes: Identifies the target of vengeance.
- הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (ha-mélekh) – Root: מלך (melek); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- וְשָׁא֣וּל (ve-Shaʾul) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And Shaʾul”; Notes: The subject of the next clause.
- חָשַׁ֔ב (ḥasháv) – Root: חשב (ḥashav); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “thought”; Notes: Indicates Shaʾul’s intention.
- לְהַפִּ֥יל (le-happíl) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to make fall”; Notes: Expresses causative intent.
- אֶת־דָּוִ֖ד (ʾet-Dawíd) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular with direct object marker; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: The intended victim.
- בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים (be-yad-Pelištím) – Root: יד (yad) + פלש (palash); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with proper noun; Translation: “by the hand of the Pelishtim”; Notes: Indicates the means of Dawid’s anticipated downfall.