דְּבַ֖שׁ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 דְּבַ֖שׁ

   de-VASH

   honey
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 מְעַ֥ט דְּבַ֖שׁ

   me-AT de-VASH

   a little honey
3. clause🔊 וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ יוֹנָתָ֗ן וַיֹּאמֶר֩ טָעֹ֨ם טָעַ֜מְתִּי בִּקְצֵ֨ה הַמַּטֶּ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֛י מְעַ֥ט דְּבַ֖שׁ הִנְנִ֥י אָמֽוּת׃

   va-ya-GED-lo yo-na-TAN va-yo-MER ta-OM ta-AM-te bik-TSE ha-ma-TE a-sher-be-ya-DI me-AT de-VASH hin-NE a-MUT

   and he told him Jonathan and he said tasting I tasted or I surely tasted I tasted at the end of the staff which was in my hand a little honey here I am I will die
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ אֶל־י֣וֹנָתָ֔ן הַגִּ֥ידָה לִּ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָה וַיַּגֶּד־ל֣וֹ יוֹנָתָ֗ן וַיֹּאמֶר֩ טָעֹ֨ם טָעַ֜מְתִּי בִּקְצֵ֨ה הַמַּטֶּ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֛י מְעַ֥ט דְּבַ֖שׁ הִנְנִ֥י אָמֽוּת׃

   va-yo-MER sha-UL el-yo-na-TAN ha-gi-DA LI ME a-si-TA va-ya-GED-lo yo-na-TAN va-yo-MER ta-OM ta-AM-te bik-TSE ha-ma-TE a-sher-be-ya-DI me-AT de-VASH hin-NE a-MUT

   and he said Saul to Jonathan tell to me what you have done and he told him Jonathan and he said tasting I tasted or I surely tasted I tasted at the end of the staff which was in my hand a little honey here I am I will die

Exegesis

The noun phrase meat debash {מְעַט דְּבַשׁ | mə·ʿaṭ də·ḇāš} ‘a little honey’ emphasizes the small quantity, and the paired hineni amut {הִנְנִי אָמֽוּת | hin·nen·nî ām·ūt} ‘here I am—I must die’ creates dramatic tension through self-offering and imminent consequence.

Root and etymology

ד־ב־ש🔊 d-v-sh

“honey, sweetness”

• 🔊 דְבָשִׁיםdevashimsweetsExodus 16:31