וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ

   va-yig-GASH

   and he approached
2. clause🔊 וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃

   va-yig-GASH el-ha-pe-lish-TI

   and he approached to the Philistine
3. sentence🔊 וַיִּקַּ֨ח מַקְל֜וֹ בְּיָד֗וֹ וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה חֲ‪לֻּקֵֽי־אֲבָנִ֣ים מִן־הַנַּ֡חַל וַיָּ֣שֶׂם אֹ֠תָם בִּכְלִ֨י הָרֹעִ֧ים אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וּבַיַּלְק֖וּט וְקַלְּע֣וֹ בְיָד֑וֹ וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ אֶל־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּֽי׃

   va-yik-KAKH mak-LO be-YA-do va-yiv-KHAR-lo kha-mish-SHA kha-lu-KE-a-va-NIM min-ha-NA-khal va-ya-SEM o-TAM bikh-LI ha-ro-IM a-SHER-lo u-va-yal-KUT ve-kal-O ve-YA-do va-yig-GASH el-ha-pe-lish-TI

   and he took his staff in his hand and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the wadi or brook and he put them in the vessel or container of the shepherds which belonged to him and in the pouch and his sling in his hand and he approached to the Philistine

Exegesis

The verse employs a chain of vav-consecutive clauses (way-yiqqāḥ {וַיִּקַּ֨ח | way-yiqqāḥ} “and he took,” way-yibḥar-lehō {וַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ | way-yibḥar-lehō} “and he chose,” way-yāsem {וַיָּ֣שֶׂם | way-yāsem} “and he put,” way-yiggaš {וַיִּגַּ֖שׁ | way-yiggaš} “and he approached”) that drive the narrative forward.

Root and etymology

g-š🔊 gimel–shin

“to approach, draw near”

• 🔊 מַגַּשׁmagashpan, platter1 Samuel 2:14