| 17. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with wayyû-gad {וַיֻּגַּ֣ד | wayyû-gad} ‘and it was told’, using the Pual imperfect with vav-consecutive to introduce a report to David. It continues with a series of Qal imperfect vav-consecutive verbs—wayyê-ʼă-sôp̄ {וַיֶּאֱסֹ֤ף | wayyê-ʾă-sôp̄} ‘and he gathered’, way-ya-ʿă-bôr {וַיַּעֲבֹ֣ר | way-ya-ʿă-bôr} ‘and he crossed over’, way-yā-bô {וַיָּבֹ֣א | way-yā-bô} ‘and he came’, and way-ya-ʿă-rōḵ {וַיַּעֲרֹ֨ךְ | way-ya-ʿă-rōḵ} ‘and he arranged’—that convey swift, sequential military action. The infinitive construct li-qrāṯ {לִקְרַ֤את | li-q-rāṯ} ‘to meet’ introduces purpose, while mil-ḥā-māh {מִלְחָמָ֔ה | mil-ḥā-māh} ‘battle’ names the armed conflict. The Nifal imperfect way-yil-lā-ḥa-mû {וַיִּֽלָּחֲמ֖וּ | way-yil-lā-ḥa-mû} ‘and they fought’ indicates reciprocal engagement. The repetition of way-ya-ʿă-rōḵ highlights two phases of deployment, and the chain of conjunctions mirrors the continuous Hebrew narrative flow. |