| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive verb way-yaḵ {וַיַּךְ | way-yaḵ} ‘and he struck’, marking sequential past action, with šāʾ-ûl {שָׁאוּל | šāʾ-ûl} as the agent. The particle ʾet- {אֶת־ | ʾet-} marks ʿă-mā-lêq {עֲמָלֵק | ʿă-mā-lêq} as the definite object. The phrase mē-ḥă-wî-lāh {מֵֽחֲוִילָה | mē-ḥă-wî-lāh} indicates the starting point. The infinitive construct bō-ʾă-ḵā {בּוֹאֲךָ | bō-ʾă-ḵā} with šūr {שׁוּר | šūr} creates a temporal-directional clause. The relative ʾă-šer {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} and ʿal-pᵊ-nê Miṣ-rā-yim {עַל־פְּנֵי מִצְרָיִם | ʿal-pᵊ-nê Miṣ-rā-yim} specify the geographic boundary, rendered “from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt” to preserve directional nuance. |