| 11. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with gam-otam {גַּם־אֹתָ֗ם | gam-ʾōṯām} ‘also them’, placing the object before the verb to connect these items with prior spoils and to emphasize that they too were included in the act of devotion. The Hiphil perfect hiqdish {הִקְדִּ֞ישׁ | hiq-dîš} ‘he consecrated’ presents a completed dedication, and the following subject phrase hammelek dawid {הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ דָּוִיד֙ | ham-me-lek dā-wîḏ} identifies the royal agent after the action, a word order that spotlights the deed before the doer. The prepositional phrase la-Yahweh {לַיהוָ֔ה | la-Yahweh} ‘to the LORD’ marks Yahweh as the recipient of what is treated as holy property, and the adjunct im-hakkesef vehazzahav {עִם־הַכֶּ֙סֶף֙ וְהַזָּהָ֔ב | ʿim-hak-ke-sep̄ wə-haz-zā-hāḇ} adds the accompanying valuables. The relative particle asher {אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾă-šer} introduces a modifier clause describing the metals and items as spoils: nasa {נָשָׂ֖א | nā-śāʾ} ‘he carried off’ with the source phrase mikkol-haggoyim {מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם | mik-kāl-hag-gō-yîm} ‘from all the nations’. The closing sequence is a rhythmic list of origins, expressed through repeated prepositional phrases (me-/mi-), moving from larger group (“the nations”) to named peoples (Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistines, Amalek), underscoring the breadth of David’s conquests and the comprehensive dedication of the gains to Yahweh. |