Judges 14:14

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙ יָצָ֣א מַאֲכָ֔ל וּמֵעַ֖ז יָצָ֣א מָתֹ֑וק וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֛וּ לְהַגִּ֥יד הַחִידָ֖ה שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃

And he said to them, “Out of the eater came forth food, and out of the strong came forth sweetness.” But they were not able to declare the riddle for three days.

Morphology

1. וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Standard past narrative form.
2. לָהֶ֗ם (lahem) – Root: ל (l) + הם (hem); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the men listening to Shimshon.
3. מֵהָֽאֹכֵל֙ (meha’okhel) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Participle, Hifil, masculine singular with prefixed preposition; Translation: “Out of the eater”; Notes: The participle functions as a noun.
4. יָצָ֣א (yatsa) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “came forth”; Notes: Indicates completed action.
5. מַאֲכָ֔ל (ma’akhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “food”; Notes: Derived from the root meaning “to eat.”
6. וּמֵעַ֖ז (ume’az) – Root: עזז (ʿazaz); Form: Noun, masculine singular with prefixed preposition; Translation: “And out of the strong”; Notes: Used metaphorically.
7. יָצָ֣א (yatsa) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “came forth”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes parallel structure.
8. מָתֹ֑וק (matoq) – Root: מתק (matak); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “sweetness”; Notes: Used figuratively.
9. וְלֹ֥א (velo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “But not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
10. יָכְל֛וּ (yakhlu) – Root: יכול (yakhol); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they were able”; Notes: Expresses ability.
11. לְהַגִּ֥יד (le-haggid) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to declare”; Notes: Causative sense.
12. הַחִידָ֖ה (haḥidah) – Root: חוד (ḥud); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the riddle”; Notes: Refers to Shimshon’s riddle.
13. שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת (sheloshet) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Numeral, masculine plural construct; Translation: “three”; Notes: Modifies “days.”
14. יָמִֽים (yamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “days”; Notes: Indicates duration.