| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The Hebrew verb-initial clause begins with vayhi {וַיְהִ֥י | wa·yĕ·hî} ‘and he was’, marking narrative continuity. The subject David {דָוִד | Dāwîd} follows and is modified by the prepositional phrase lekol-darkhav {לְכָל־דָּרְכָיו | lə·ḵāl·dā·ră·ḵāw} ‘in all his ways’, indicating totality. The participle maskil {מַשְׂכִּיל | mas·kîl} ‘acting wisely’ attributes prudent skill to David’s conduct. The final clause vayehoVAH immo {וַֽיהוָ֖ה עִמּוֹ | wa·yĕ·hō·wāh ʿim·mōw} ‘and the LORD was with him’ uses a copulative structure to underscore divine presence as causal to David’s success. English syntax preserves the Hebrew emphasis on totality and causality while rendering naturally. |