1 Samuel 15:17:131 Sam.15.17.W13TAB

לְמֶ֖לֶךְ

lemelekh

as king

Transliteration
le-ME-lekh
Extended
leh-MEH-lehkh
IPA
/ləˈmɛ.lɛx/

Meaning by language

English
as king

Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it

Result
לְ + מֶ֖ + לֶךְ
le + me + lekh
lemelekh

Alphabet Analysis

Lamedl as in law
Shevavocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable
Memm as in mother
Segholshort 'eh' as in met
Lamedl as in law
Segholshort 'eh' as in met
Kaf Sofitfinal form of Kaf — at word end
Shevasilent sheva — no sound; closes the syllable

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Vowels (Niqqud)

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The word

Word in context

  1. word

    le-ME-lekh

  2. clause

    va-yim-sha-KHA-kha ye-ho-VAH le-ME-lekh al-yis-ra-EL

  3. sentence

    va-YO-mer she-mu-EL ha-LO im-ka-TON a-TA be-e-NE-kha ROSH shiv-TE yis-ra-EL A-ta va-yim-sha-KHA-kha ye-ho-VAH le-ME-lekh al-yis-ra-EL

Exegesis

The infinitive construct lə-me-leḵ {לְמֶלֶךְ | lə-me-leḵ} “to be king,” followed by the prepositional phrase ʿal yis-rā-ʾēl {עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל | ʿal-yis-rā-ʾēl}, functions as a result clause indicating Saul’s royal installation by YHWH {יְהוָ֛ה | yəhōwāh}, underscoring divine election and empowerment through anointing.

Root and etymology

מ־ל־כ

to rule

In context1 Samuel 15:17

And Samuel said, “Is it not true that, though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.”

About this coordinate

1 Samuel 15:17:13 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 13 of 1 Samuel 15:17, so the Hebrew word לְמֶ֖לֶךְ (lemelekh) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written 1 Sam.15.17.W13, which extends further down to each syllable (1 Sam.15.17.W13.S1) and character.