וַ֠יָּבֹא אֶל־גִּדְרֹ֨ות הַצֹּ֤אן עַל־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ וְשָׁ֣ם מְעָרָ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א שָׁא֖וּל לְהָסֵ֣ךְ אֶת־רַגְלָ֑יו וְדָוִד֙ וַאֲנָשָׁ֔יו בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י הַמְּעָרָ֖ה יֹשְׁבִֽים׃
And he came to the sheepfolds on the way, and there was a cave; and Shaʾul went in to relieve himself, while Dawid and his men were sitting in the innermost part of the cave.
Morphology
- וַ֠יָּבֹא (vayyavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he came”; Notes: Introduces a sequential action.
- אֶל־גִּדְרֹ֨ות (el-gidrot) – Root: גדר (gader); Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “to the sheepfolds of”; Notes: Indicates a location.
- הַצֹּ֤אן (haṣ-ṣon) – Root: צאן (ṣon); Form: Noun, feminine singular (collective) with definite article; Translation: “the sheep”; Notes: Refers to a place where sheep are kept.
- עַל־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ (ʿal-hadderekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Specifies location.
- וְשָׁ֣ם (ve-sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “and there”; Notes: Introduces additional information.
- מְעָרָ֔ה (meʿarah) – Root: מערה (meʿarah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a cave”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- וַיָּבֹ֥א (vayyavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he entered”; Notes: Sequential action.
- שָׁא֖וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שאול (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- לְהָסֵ֣ךְ (le-hasekh) – Root: סוך (sakh); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to relieve himself”; Notes: A euphemism for urination or defecation.
- אֶת־רַגְלָ֑יו (et-raglav) – Root: רגל (regel); Form: Noun, feminine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his feet”; Notes: A euphemism for relieving oneself.
- וְדָוִד֙ (ve-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “and Dawid”; Notes: Subject of the following clause.
- וַאֲנָשָׁ֔יו (vaʾanashav) – Root: אנש (ʾenosh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his men”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s followers.
- בְּיַרְכְּתֵ֥י (beyarketei) – Root: ירך (yarek); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct with preposition; Translation: “in the innermost parts of”; Notes: Indicates position inside the cave.
- הַמְּעָרָ֖ה (hammeʿarah) – Root: מערה (meʿarah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the cave”; Notes: Specifies location.
- יֹשְׁבִֽים (yoshvim) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were sitting”; Notes: Indicates continued action.