| 20. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav consecutive form vayerdu {וַיֵּרְד֥וּ | wayyērdû} ‘and they went down’, marking a sequential continuation. The collective noun kol Yisrael {כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | kol-yiśrāʾēl} serves as the subject of motion toward ha-Plishtim {הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים | hap̄lišṯîm}, indicating a socio-political movement. The infinitive construct liltosh {לִ֠לְטוֹשׁ | li-ləṭôš} ‘to sharpen’ expresses purpose, and a series of coordinated direct objects—macharashto {מַחֲרַשְׁתּ֤וֹ | maḥărašṯô}, eto {אֵתוֹ֙ | ʾēṯô}, kardumo {קַרְדֻּמּ֔וֹ | qardummô}, mahareshto {מַחֲרֵשָׁתֽוֹ | maḥārēšaṯô}—each introduced by et {אֶת־ | ʾet-}, underscores individual obligation. In English the phrase is rendered with “to sharpen” and the list of implements is coordinated with commas and conjunction to balance fidelity to the Hebrew enumeration with natural readability. |