1 Samuel 17:9:131 Sam.17.9.W13TAB
לַעֲבָדִ֔ים
laavadim
“as servants”
- Transliteration
- la-a-va-DIM
- Extended
- lah-ah-vah-DEEM
- IPA
- /la.ʕăvɔˈdiːm/
Meaning by language
- English
- as servants
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Lamed | l as in law | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Hateph Patach | reduced 'ah' | |
| Bet | b with dagesh; v without dagesh | |
| Qamets | long 'ah' | |
| Dalet | d as in door | |
| Hireq | 'ee' as in machine | |
| Yod | y as in yes; marks long ī | |
| Mem Sofit | final form of Mem — at word end |
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The word
Word in context
- word
la-a-va-DIM
- clause
ve-im-a-NI u-KHAL-LO ve-hik-KI-ti-v vi-he-YI-tem la-NU la-a-va-DIM va-a-vad-TEM o-TA-nu
- sentence
im-yu-KHAL le-hil-la-KHEM i-TI ve-hik-KA-ni ve-ha-YI-nu la-KHEM la-a-va-DIM ve-im-a-NI u-KHAL-LO ve-hik-KI-ti-v vi-he-YI-tem la-NU la-a-va-DIM va-a-vad-TEM o-TA-nu
Exegesis
The apodosis vehayinu la-khem laʿăvadîm {וְהָיִינוּ לָכֶם לַעֲבָדִים | wə-hay-yî-nû lā-ḵem la-ʿă-vā-dîm} ‘we will be your servants’ uses Qal perfect to assert consequence.
The concluding vihyîtem lanû laʿăvadîm vaʿăvaḏtêm ôtânû {וִהְיִיתֶם לָנוּ לַעֲבָדִים וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֹתָנוּ | wi-hyî-tem lā-nû la-ʿă-vā-dîm va-ʿă-ḇaḏ-tem ô-tā-nû} ‘and you will be our servants and serve us’ completes the parallel challenge. The symmetrical use of vav-consecutive perfects emphasizes the decisive, outcome-based contest.
Root and etymology
ʿ-b-dayin–bet–dalet
“to serve, work”
In context — 1 Samuel 17:9
If he can engage me in battle and strike me down, then we will be your servants ; but if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will be our servants and serve us.
About this coordinate
1 Samuel 17:9:13 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 13 of 1 Samuel 17:9, so the Hebrew word לַעֲבָדִ֔ים (laavadim) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written 1 Sam.17.9.W13, which extends further down to each syllable (1 Sam.17.9.W13.S1) and character.