| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav consecutive prefix vav {וַ | wā} ‘and’ attached to the Qal imperfect verb yiš·’al {יִשְׁאַל | yiš·’al} ‘asked,’ a device to propel action. The subject Sha’ul {שָׁאוּל | Šā’ūl} ‘Saul’ follows in VSO order. The phrase bē·’ĕ·lō·hîm {בֵּֽאלֹהִים | bē·’ĕ·lō·hîm} ‘in God’ indicates the inquiry’s addressee. Two direct questions feature the interrogative he prefix on the imperfect forms ha·’ērēḏ {הַֽאֵרֵד | ha·’ērēḏ} ‘shall I go down’ and ha·tit·tə·nēm {הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם | ha·tit·tə·nēm} ‘will you give them,’ marking volitional inquiry. A construct chain between bə·yād {בְּיַ֣ד | bə·yād} ‘into hand’ and Yi·srā·’ēl {יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | Yi·srā·’ēl} ‘Israel’ establishes the recipient. The perfect verb ’ā·nā·hū {עָנָ֖הוּ | ’ā·nā·hū} ‘he answered him,’ negated by wə·lō {וְלֹא | wə·lō} ‘and not,’ contrasts with the temporal expression ba·yōm ha·hû’ {בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא | ba·yōm ha·hû’} ‘on that day.’ In English, Hebrew VSO questions become SVO interrogatives, and the lack of response is signaled by “But.” |