| 24. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the compound ve-ish-yisra-el {וְאִישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵל | wə-ʾîš-yisrāʾēl}, literally “and man-of-Israel,” an idiomatic expression indicating collective pressure. The verb wayyōʾēl {וַיֹּאֶל | wayyōʾēl} in the Hiphil imperfect with vav consecutive conveys Saul’s act of imposing an oath. The imprecation formula ʾārūr ha-ʾîš ʾăšer-yōḵāl leḥem {אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־יֹאכַל לֶחֶם | ʾārūr ha-ʾîš ʾăšer-yōḵāl leḥem} sets a covenantal boundary with “cursed is the man who eats food.” The temporal clause ʿad-ha-ʿereḇ wə-niqqamṯî mē-ʾôyēḇay {עַד־הָעֶרֶב וְנִקַּמְתִּי מֵאֹיְבַי | ʿad-ha-ʿereḇ wə-niqqamṯî mē-ʾôyēḇay} ties the duration of the vow to vengeance. The construction wə-lōʾ ṭāʿam kol-ha-ʿāmm laḥem {וְלֹא טָעַם כָּל־הָעָם לָחֶם | wə-lōʾ ṭāʿam kol-ha-ʿāmm laḥem} uses a double negative to emphasize universal obedience and deprivation. The English rendering preserves narrative sequence and the legal force of the oath formula. |