| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with wayyak {וַיַּךְ | wayyaḵ} as a vav-consecutive qal imperfect, advancing the narrative. The proper noun David {דָּוִד | Dāwîḏ} serves as the subject, followed by the direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ}, which introduces Hadadezer {הֲדַדְעֶזֶר | Ḥăḏaddeʿẓer}, king {מֶלֶךְ | mēleḵ} of Zobah {צוֹבָה | Ṣōvāh}. The locative suffix in khamatah {חֲמָתָה | Ḥămathāh} specifies the battlefield at Hamath. The prepositional infinitive belekhto {בְּלֶכְתּוֹ | bəleḵtô} indicates purpose, complemented by lehatsiv {לְהַצִּיב | lehaṣṣîḇ} yado {יָדוֹ | yādô}, an idiom for asserting authority. The prepositional phrase binhar Perat {בִּנְהַר־ פְּרָת | binhār Pərāṯ} marks the Euphrates River as the strategic boundary. The English translation preserves the Hebrew verb order while smoothing for readability. |