וְהָאֹרֵ֗ב יֹשֵׁ֥ב לָהּ֙ בַּחֶ֔דֶר וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים עָלֶ֖יךָ שִׁמְשֹׁ֑ון וַיְנַתֵּק֙ אֶת־הַיְתָרִ֔ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יִנָּתֵ֤ק פְּתִֽיל־הַנְּעֹ֨רֶת֙ בַּהֲרִיחֹ֣ו אֵ֔שׁ וְלֹ֥א נֹודַ֖ע כֹּחֹֽו׃
Now the ambush was waiting in the chamber for her, and she said to him, “The Pelishtim are upon you, Shimshon!” But he snapped the cords just as a thread of tow is snapped when it smells fire, and his strength was not known.
Morphology
- וְהָאֹרֵ֗ב (ve-haʾorev) – Root: ארב (ʾarab); Form: Qal participle masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “Now the ambush”; Notes: Refers to those lying in wait.
- יֹשֵׁ֥ב (yoshev) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was waiting”; Notes: Describes a state of readiness.
- לָהּ֙ (lah) – Root: ל (le); Form: Preposition with 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “for her”; Notes: Refers to Delilah.
- בַּחֶ֔דֶר (ba-ḥeder) – Root: חדר (ḥeder); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “in the chamber”; Notes: Indicates location.
- וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (vattomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she said”; Notes: Introduces Delilah’s speech.
- אֵלָ֔יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Directs the speech to Shimshon.
- פְּלִשְׁתִּ֥ים (Pelištim) – Root: פלשתים (Pelištim); Form: Proper noun, plural; Translation: “the Pelishtim”; Notes: Refers to the Philistines.
- עָלֶ֖יךָ (ʿalekha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “are upon you”; Notes: Expresses imminent danger.
- שִׁמְשֹׁ֑ון (Shimshon) – Root: שמשון (Shimshon); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shimshon”; Notes: Subject being addressed.
- וַיְנַתֵּק֙ (vaynatteq) – Root: נתק (nataq); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “But he snapped”; Notes: Describes breaking free.
- אֶת־הַיְתָרִ֔ים (et-hayetarim) – Root: יתר (yeter); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the cords”; Notes: Objects being broken.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (kaʾasher) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “just as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison.
- יִנָּתֵ֤ק (yinnateq) – Root: נתק (nataq); Form: Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is snapped”; Notes: Passive form of breaking.
- פְּתִֽיל־הַנְּעֹ֨רֶת֙ (petil-hanneʿoret) – Root: פתיל (petil) + נער (naʿar); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with definite article + noun, feminine singular; Translation: “a thread of tow”; Notes: Metaphor for weakness.
- בַּהֲרִיחֹ֣ו (bahariḥo) – Root: ריח (riaḥ); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “when it smells”; Notes: Indicates the moment it is affected.
- אֵ֔שׁ (esh) – Root: אש (esh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Describes the agent causing breakage.
- וְלֹ֥א נֹודַ֖ע (velo nodaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and was not known”; Notes: Implies failure to discover his weakness.
- כֹּחֹֽו׃ (koḥo) – Root: כח (koḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his strength”; Notes: Refers to Shimshon’s power.