| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive clause vayaas {וַיַּ֣עַשׂ | wayyaʾaś} ‘and he did’ marking narrative continuation. The particle et {אֵ֚ת | ʾēt} introduces Samuel as direct object, followed by the relative clause asher dibber Yahweh {אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה | ʾăšer dib-bēr Yəhōwāh}, where dibber functions as a Piel perfect verb of utterance. A second vav-consecutive vayavo {וַיָּבֹ֖א | wayyāḇōʾ} ‘and he came’ takes the construct beit-lechem {בֵּ֣ת לָ֑חֶם | bēt lāḥēm} as an adverbial of motion. The next clause vayecherdu ziknei ha’ir {וַיֶּחֶרְד֞וּ זִקְנֵ֤י הָעִיר֙ | way-yeḥerədə-wū zik-nê hāʾîr} ‘and the elders of the city trembled’ describes collective fear. The infinitive construct likrato {לִקְרָאת֔וֹ | liqrāṯōʾ} expresses purpose ‘to meet him.’ Finally, the vav-consecutive vayomer {וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said’ introduces the interrogative greeting shalom-boecha {שָׁלֹ֥ם בּוֹאֶֽךָ | šālôm bōʾēḵā}, framing arrival in terms of relational harmony. |