| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the waw-consecutive in vayomeru {וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ | wayyō’merû} “and they said,” establishing a continuation of the story. The construct phrase sarei benei-ammon {שָׂרֵ֨י בְנֵי-עַמּ֜וֹן | sārê & bənē-‘ammôn} functions as the subject, “commanders of the Ammonites.” The prepositional infinitive lechanun {לְחָנוּן | lə-ḥānûn} marks direct address to Hanun. The participle hamekabbed david {הַֽמְכַבֵּ֨ד דָּוִ֤יד | haməḵabbēḏ & Dāwîḏ} frames a skeptical question about David’s motives. The interrogative halo {הֲלֹא֙ | hălō’} heightens suspicion. The conjunction ki {כִּֽי־ | kî} with the perfect shalach lekha menachamim {שָׁלַ֥ח לְךָ֖ מְנַחֲמִ֑ים | šālāḥ & ləּ־ & mənaḥammîm} sets the premise of a consoling mission. The triadic infinitives ba-avur lachkor velhafokh ule-raggel {בַּ֠עֲבוּר לַחְקֹ֨ר וְלַהֲפֹךְ וּלְרַגֵּל | ba‘ăḇūr & laḥqôr & wə-laḥappōḵ & ûlə-raggēl} underscore the perceived threat of espionage, subversion, and spying. Finally, bau avadav eleikha {בָּאוּ עֲבָדָ֖יו אֵלֶֽיךָ | bā’û & ‘ăḇādāyw & ’ēleyḵā} identifies David’s servants as envoys who have come. The repeated vav conjunctions create cumulative tension in the Hebrew syntax. |