וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל לַעֲבָדָ֗יו בַּקְּשׁוּ־לִי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת בַּעֲלַת־אֹ֔וב וְאֵלְכָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יהָ וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־בָּ֑הּ וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ עֲבָדָיו֙ אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּ֛ה אֵ֥שֶׁת בַּֽעֲלַת־אֹ֖וב בְּעֵ֥ין דֹּֽור׃
And Shaʾul said to his servants, “Seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at ʿEn Dor.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Shaʾul’s speech.
- שָׁא֜וּל (Shaʾul) – Root: שׁואל (Shaʾul); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shaʾul”; Notes: The king of Yisraʾel.
- לַעֲבָדָ֗יו (la-ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his servants”; Notes: Refers to the people serving under Shaʾul.
- בַּקְּשׁוּ־לִי (baqeshu-li) – Root: בקש (baqash); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “Seek for me”; Notes: Indicates Shaʾul requesting his servants to find someone.
- אֵ֣שֶׁת (eshet) – Root: אשת (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a woman”; Notes: Refers to a female individual.
- בַּעֲלַת־אֹ֔וב (baʿalat-ʾov) – Root: בעל (baʿal) and אוב (ʾov); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “a medium”; Notes: Refers to a woman who practices necromancy or divination.
- וְאֵלְכָ֥ה (ve-elkah) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “that I may go”; Notes: Indicates Shaʾul’s intention to visit the medium.
- אֵלֶ֖יהָ (elehah) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “to her”; Notes: Marks the direction of Shaʾul’s action, going towards the medium.
- וְאֶדְרְשָׁה־בָּ֑הּ (ve-ʾedresha-ba) – Root: דרש (darash); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and inquire of her”; Notes: Indicates the action of seeking knowledge from the medium.
- וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ (vayomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces the response of Shaʾul’s servants.
- עֲבָדָיו֙ (ʿavadayv) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servants”; Notes: Refers to those who serve under Shaʾul.
- אֵלָ֔יו (elayv) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Marks the direction of the statement towards Shaʾul.
- הִנֵּ֛ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to draw attention or to indicate something that is present.
- אֵ֥שֶׁת (eshet) – Root: אשת (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a woman”; Notes: Refers to the medium in this context.
- בַּֽעֲלַת־אֹ֖וב (baʿalat-ʾov) – Root: בעל (baʿal) and אוב (ʾov); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “a medium”; Notes: Refers to a woman who practices necromancy or divination.
- בְּעֵ֥ין (be-ʿen) – Root: עין (ʿen); Form: Noun, feminine singular with preposition; Translation: “at the spring of”; Notes: Refers to the location of the medium.
- דֹּֽור (Dor) – Root: דור (dor); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dor”; Notes: The name of a location, En Dor, where the medium resided.