וְעַתָּ֗ה אַל־יִפֹּ֤ל דָּֽמִי֙ אַ֔רְצָה מִנֶּ֖גֶד פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָצָ֞א מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֣שׁ אֶחָ֔ד כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יִרְדֹּ֥ף הַקֹּרֵ֖א בֶּהָרִֽים׃
And now, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of YHWH, for the king of Yisra’el has come out to seek a single flea, as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֗ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿtt); Form: Adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a new statement or plea.
- אַל־יִפֹּ֤ל (ʾal-yippol) – Root: נפל (npl); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “let not fall”; Notes: A prohibitive statement.
- דָּֽמִי֙ (dami) – Root: דם (dm); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my blood”; Notes: Refers to David’s life.
- אַ֔רְצָה (ʾartzah) – Root: ארץ (ʾrṣ); Form: Noun, feminine singular with directive heh; Translation: “to the earth”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- מִנֶּ֖גֶד (minneged) – Root: נגד (ngd); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Denotes presence or position.
- פְּנֵ֣י (penei) – Root: פנה (pnh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “face of”; Notes: Common idiom for presence.
- יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name.
- כִּֽי־יָצָ֞א (ki-yatsa) – Root: יצא (yṣʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “for he has gone out”; Notes: Introduces a reason.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך (mlk); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “king”; Notes: Refers to Sha’ul.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisra’el”; Notes: Refers to the nation.
- לְבַקֵּשׁ֙ (levaqesh) – Root: בקש (bqš); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to seek”; Notes: Denotes pursuit.
- אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֣שׁ (ʾet-parʿosh) – Root: פרעש (prʿš); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a flea”; Notes: A metaphor for insignificance.
- אֶחָ֔ד (ʾeḥad) – Root: אחד (ʾḥd); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Emphasizes singularity.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (kaʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾšr); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison.
- יִרְדֹּ֥ף (yirdof) – Root: רדף (rdp); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “pursues”; Notes: Describes the chase.
- הַקֹּרֵ֖א (ha-qore) – Root: קרא (qrʾ); Form: Participle, masculine singular; Translation: “the partridge”; Notes: A hunted bird.
- בֶּהָרִֽים (beharim) – Root: הר (hr); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “in the mountains”; Notes: Describes the terrain.