חֵרֵ֔ף

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 חֵרֵ֔ף

   khe-REF

   he should defy
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 כִּ֣י חֵרֵ֔ף

   KI khe-REF

   that he should defy
3. clause🔊 כִּ֣י מִ֗י הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֤י הֶֽעָרֵל֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י חֵרֵ֔ף מַעַרְכ֖וֹת אֱלֹהִ֥ים חַיִּֽים׃

   KI MI ha-pe-lish-TI he-a-REL ha-ZE KI khe-REF ma-ar-KHOT e-lo-HIM kha-YIM

   for who the Philistine the uncircumcised this that he should defy ranks of God living
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֗ד אֶֽל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֞ים הָעֹמְדִ֣ים עִמּוֹ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ מַה־יֵּעָשֶׂ֗ה לָאִישׁ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר יַכֶּה֙ אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֣י הַלָּ֔ז וְהֵסִ֥יר חֶרְפָּ֖ה מֵעַ֣ל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י מִ֗י הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֤י הֶֽעָרֵל֙ הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֣י חֵרֵ֔ף מַעַרְכ֖וֹת אֱלֹהִ֥ים חַיִּֽים׃

   va-YO-mer da-VID el-ha-a-na-SHIM ha-o-me-DIM i-MO le-MOR ma-ye-a-SE la-ISH a-SHER ya-KE et-ha-pe-lish-TI ha-LAZ ve-he-SIR kher-PA me-AL yis-ra-EL KI MI ha-pe-lish-TI he-a-REL ha-ZE KI khe-REF ma-ar-KHOT e-lo-HIM kha-YIM

   and he said David to the men the ones standing with him saying what will be done for the man who will strike {direct object} the Philistine this one and removes reproach from upon Israel for who the Philistine the uncircumcised this that he should defy ranks of God living

Exegesis

The final clause ki cheref ma-arkhot elohim chayyim {כִּי חֵרֵף מַעַרְכ֖וֹת אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים | kî ḥē-ref ma-‘ar-kōṯ ’ĕ-lō-hîm ḥay-yîm} ‘for he has taunted the battle lines of the living God’ brings theological tension, using coordinated questions and relative clauses to underscore Israel’s need for divine vindication.

Root and etymology

“to insult”

• 🔊 חֶרְפָּהḥerephahreproachPsalm 79:4