וַיַּ֨עַן נָבָ֜ל אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י דָוִד֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר מִ֥י דָוִ֖ד וּמִ֣י בֶן־יִשָׁ֑י הַיֹּום֙ רַבּ֣וּ עֲבָדִ֔ים הַמִּתְפָּ֣רְצִ֔ים אִ֖ישׁ מִפְּנֵ֥י אֲדֹנָֽיו׃
And Naval answered the servants of Dawid and said, “Who is Dawid, and who is the son of Yishai? Nowadays many servants break away, each one from his master.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֨עַן (vayyaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Introduces Naval’s response.
- נָבָ֜ל (Naval) – Root: נבל (Naval); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Naval”; Notes: The subject of the verb.
- אֶת־עַבְדֵ֤י (et-ʿavdei) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “the servants of”; Notes: Identifies those being addressed.
- דָוִד֙ (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Specifies whose servants they are.
- וַיֹּ֔אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- מִ֥י (mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “Who”; Notes: Expresses disdain or ignorance.
- דָוִ֖ד (Dawid) – Root: דוד (Dawid); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Dawid”; Notes: Naval questions Dawid’s identity.
- וּמִ֣י (u-mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “and who”; Notes: Continues the rhetorical question.
- בֶן־יִשָׁ֑י (ben-Yishai) – Root: בן (ben), ישי (Yishai); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with proper noun; Translation: “the son of Yishai”; Notes: Naval refuses to acknowledge Dawid’s status.
- הַיֹּום֙ (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “Nowadays”; Notes: Introduces a general statement.
- רַבּ֣וּ (rabbu) – Root: רבה (rabah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “have increased”; Notes: Refers to a trend.
- עֲבָדִ֔ים (ʿavadim) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “servants”; Notes: Refers to those rebelling against their masters.
- הַמִּתְפָּ֣רְצִ֔ים (ha-mitparʿtzim) – Root: פרץ (paratz); Form: Hitpael participle masculine plural, definite; Translation: “breaking away”; Notes: Describes rebellious servants.
- אִ֖ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “each one”; Notes: Emphasizes individual rebellion.
- מִפְּנֵ֥י (mi-penei) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “from before”; Notes: Expresses separation.
- אֲדֹנָֽיו (adonav) – Root: אדן (adon); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his master”; Notes: Refers to perceived disloyalty.