וַֽיְהִי֙ כִּי־טוֹב לִבָּ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ קִרְא֥וּ לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ וִישַֽׂחֶק־לָ֑נוּ וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן֜ מִבֵּ֣ית הָאֲסִירִ֗ים וַיְצַחֵק֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ אֹתֹ֖ו בֵּ֥ין הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃
And it came to pass, when their heart was merry, that they said, “Call for Shimshon, that he may entertain us.” And they called for Shimshon out of the prison house, and he played before them, and they set him between the pillars.
Morphology
- וַֽיְהִי֙ (vayhi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces the narrative.
- כִּי־טוֹב (ki-tov) – Root: טוב (tov); Form: Conjunction + adjective; Translation: “when it was good”; Notes: Describes their mood.
- לִבָּ֔ם (libbam) – Root: לב (lev); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their heart”; Notes: Indicates their joyful state.
- וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (vayyoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces their speech.
- קִרְא֥וּ (qirʾu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Call”; Notes: Command given to bring Shimshon.
- לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן֙ (le-Shimshon) – Root: שמש (shemesh); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “for Shimshon”; Notes: Identifies the subject of the command.
- וִישַֽׂחֶק־לָ֑נוּ (vi-yisaḥeq-lanu) – Root: שחק (saḥaq); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with cohortative meaning; Translation: “that he may entertain us”; Notes: Expresses their desire for amusement.
- וַיִּקְרְא֨וּ (vayyiqreʾu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they called”; Notes: Action taken in response to their command.
- לְשִׁמְשׁוֹן֜ (le-Shimshon) – Root: שמש (shemesh); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “for Shimshon”; Notes: The direct object.
- מִבֵּ֣ית הָאֲסִירִ֗ים (mi-beit ha-asirim) – Root: בית (bayit) + אסר (asar); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “out of the prison house”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- וַיְצַחֵק֙ (vayyetsaḥeq) – Root: שחק (saḥaq); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he played”; Notes: Indicates forced entertainment.
- לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם (lifneihem) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “before them”; Notes: Denotes the audience.
- וַיַּעֲמִ֥ידוּ (vayyaʿamidu) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they set him”; Notes: Describes Shimshon being positioned.
- אֹותֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Shimshon.
- בֵּ֥ין הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃ (bein ha-ʿammudim) – Root: עמוד (ʿamud); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “between the pillars”; Notes: Indicates his final position.