אִם־פָּקֹ֥ד יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי אָבִ֑יךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ נִשְׁאֹל֩ נִשְׁאַ֨ל מִמֶּ֤נִּי דָוִד֙ לָרוּץ֙ בֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם עִירֹ֔ו כִּ֣י זֶ֧בַח הַיָּמִ֛ים שָׁ֖ם לְכָל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָֽה׃
If your father misses me, then you shall say, ‘Dawid earnestly asked leave of me to run to Beit-Leḥem, his city, for there is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’”
Morphology
- אִם־פָּקֹ֥ד (im-paqod) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Conditional particle + infinitive absolute, Qal; Translation: “If missing”; Notes: Emphasizes the certainty of the verb.
- יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי (yifqedeni) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Imperfect 3rd person masculine singular, Qal + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “he misses me”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul missing Dawid.
- אָבִ֑יךָ (avikha) – Root: אב (av); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your father”; Notes: Refers to Shaʾul.
- וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ (ve-amarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Conjunctive vav + perfect 2nd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “then you shall say”; Notes: Sequential instruction.
- נִשְׁאֹל֩ נִשְׁאַ֨ל (nishʾol-nishʾal) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Infinitive absolute + perfect 3rd person masculine singular, Nifal; Translation: “earnestly asked”; Notes: The infinitive absolute intensifies the request.
- מִמֶּ֤נִּי (mimmmeni) – Root: מן (min); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “of me”; Notes: Indicates the person being asked.
- דָוִד֙ (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- לָרוּץ֙ (laruts) – Root: רוץ (ruts); Form: Infinitive construct, Qal; Translation: “to run”; Notes: Expresses urgency.
- בֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם (Beit-Leḥem) – Root: בית לחם (Beit-Leḥem); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Beit-Leḥem”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s hometown.
- עִירֹ֔ו (ʿiro) – Root: עיר (ʿir); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his city”; Notes: Refers to Beit-Leḥem.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- זֶ֧בַח (zevaḥ) – Root: זבח (zevaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “sacrifice”; Notes: Religious offering.
- הַיָּמִ֛ים (ha-yamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “of the days”; Notes: Likely refers to a periodic feast.
- שָׁ֖ם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Specifies location.
- לְכָל־הַמִּשְׁפָּחָֽה׃ (le-khol-ha-mishpaḥah) – Root: משפחה (mishpaḥah); Form: Noun, feminine singular, definite with preposition; Translation: “for all the family”; Notes: Indicates inclusivity.