וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ

   u-te-HI-VO

   but let be against him, and let be in him
2. clause🔊 וְשָׁא֣וּל אָמַ֗ר אַל־תְּהִ֤י יָדִי֙ בּ֔וֹ וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

   ve-sha-UL a-MAR al-te-HI ya-DI BO u-te-HI-VO yad-pe-lish-TIM

   and Saul said let not be my hand against him, in him but let be against him, and let be in him hand of the Philistines
3. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שָׁא֜וּל אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד הִנֵּה֩ בִתִּ֨י הַגְּדוֹלָ֤ה מֵרַב֙ אֹתָהּ֙ אֶתֶּן־לְךָ֣ לְאִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ךְ הֱיֵה־לִּ֣י לְבֶן־חַ֔יִל וְהִלָּחֵ֖ם מִלְחֲמ֣וֹת יְהוָ֑ה וְשָׁא֣וּל אָמַ֗ר אַל־תְּהִ֤י יָדִי֙ בּ֔וֹ וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ יַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

   va-YO-mer sha-UL el-da-VID hi-NE bit-TI ha-ge-do-LA me-RAV o-TA e-TEN-le-KHA le-i-SHA AKH he-YE-lI le-ven-kha-YIL ve-hil-la-KHEM mil-kha-MOT ye-ho-VAH ve-sha-UL a-MAR al-te-HI ya-DI BO u-te-HI-VO yad-pe-lish-TIM

   and he said Saul to David look, behold my daughter the great, the elder Merab her I will give to you for a wife only be for me as a son of valor, a valiant man and fight battles of the LORD and Saul said let not be my hand against him, in him but let be against him, and let be in him hand of the Philistines

Exegesis

The second clause, linked by another Qal perfect amar {אָמַ֗ר | ’ā-mar}, contrasts the negative imperative al-tehi {אַל־תְּהִ֤י | ’al-tə-hî} ‘do not be’ with u-tehi-bo {וּתְהִי־ב֖וֹ | u-tə-hî-bō} ‘let there be in him’, structurally opposing Saul’s personal restraint and delegating harm to Pelishtim {פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים | Pə-lištîm}.