שְׁאַ֨ל אֶת־נְעָרֶ֜יךָ וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ לָ֗ךְ וְיִמְצְא֨וּ הַנְּעָרִ֥ים חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־עַל־יֹ֥ום טֹ֖וב בָּ֑נוּ תְּנָה־נָּ֗א אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּמְצָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבִנְךָ֖ לְדָוִֽד׃
Ask your young men, and they will tell you. And let the young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a good day. Please give whatever your hand finds to your servants and to your son Dawid.’”
Morphology
- שְׁאַ֨ל (sheʾal) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Ask”; Notes: Command directed at Naval.
- אֶת־נְעָרֶ֜יךָ (et-neʿarekha) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your young men”; Notes: Refers to Naval’s workers.
- וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ (ve-yaggidu) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they will tell”; Notes: Assures that the young men can verify the claim.
- לָ֗ךְ (lakh) – Root: לך (lakh); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directs the statement to Naval.
- וְיִמְצְא֨וּ (ve-yimtzeʾu) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and let them find”; Notes: Expresses a wish.
- הַנְּעָרִ֥ים (ha-neʿarim) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine plural, definite; Translation: “the young men”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s messengers.
- חֵן֙ (ḥen) – Root: חן (ḥen); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “favor”; Notes: Expresses goodwill.
- בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ (be-ʿeineikha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, dual with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: Metaphorical for approval.
- כִּֽי־ (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- עַל־יֹ֥ום (ʿal-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “on a day”; Notes: Specifies the occasion.
- טֹ֖וב (tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Describes the nature of the day.
- בָּ֑נוּ (banu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we have come”; Notes: Indicates their arrival.
- תְּנָה־נָּ֗א (tenah-na) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular with enclitic particle; Translation: “please give”; Notes: A polite request.
- אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר (et ʾasher) – Root: את (et), אשר (ʾasher); Form: Definite direct object marker + relative pronoun; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces what is to be given.
- תִּמְצָ֤א (timtsaʾ) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you find”; Notes: Refers to available resources.
- יָֽדְךָ֙ (yadekha) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your hand”; Notes: Metaphor for possession.
- לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ (la-ʿavadeikha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your servants”; Notes: Refers to Dawid’s men.
- וּלְבִנְךָ֖ (u-lebinkha) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and to your son”; Notes: Expresses humility.
- לְדָוִֽד (le-Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to Dawid”; Notes: Identifies the recipient.