| 36. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the adverb gam {גַּם | gām} ‘also’ used twice to underscore David’s proofs of strength. The direct object marker et-hā-ʼă-rî {אֶת־הָאֲרִי | ʾeṯ-hā-ʼă-rî} and et-ha-dov form the object phrases. The vav consecutive in wə-hā-yāh {וְֽהָיָה | wə-hā-yāh} shifts from recounting past actions to predicting the Philistine’s fate. The phrase hē-ʿā-rēl haz-zeh {הֶעָרֵל הַזֶּה | hē-ʿā-rēl haz-zeh} ‘this uncircumcised one’ highlights his outsider status. The conjunction kî {כִּי | kî} introduces a causal clause with the Piel verb ḥērēp̄ {חֵרֵף | ḥērēp̄} ‘has taunted.’ The construct chain ma-ʿär-ḵōt ʾĕlōhîm ḥay-yîm {מַעַרְכֹת אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים | ma-ʿär-ḵōt ʾĕ-lō-hîm ḥay-yîm} ‘battle-lines of the living God’ emphasizes divine authority behind Israel’s defense. |