| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative employs the vav-consecutive perfect construction wayyaqām {וַיָּקָם | wayyaqām} ‘and he rose’ to signal the start of sequential action. The coordinated subject phrase hûʾ waʾănāšāyw {ה֣וּא וַאֲנָשָׁיו | hûʾ waʾănāšāyw} ‘he and his men’ frames the participants before the martial verb wayyak {וַיַּךְ | wayyak} ‘and he struck.’ The object clause bappelištîm māṯāyīm îš {בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים מָאתַיִם אִישׁ | bappelištîm māṯāyīm îš} 'two hundred Philistine soldiers' specifies enemy and number. The direct object marker ʾet in ʾet-ʿôrělōṯēhem {אֶת־עָרְלֹתֵיהֶם | ʾet ʿôrėlōṯēhem} flags the trophy, which the Piel perfect wayyəmalʾūm {וַיְמַלְא֣וּם | wayyəmalʾūm} ‘and they filled them’ completes quantitatively. The infinitive Hiphil ləhiṯḥatten {לְהִתְחַתֵּן | ləhiṯḥatten} introduces the purpose clause of marrying into the royal house, and the final vav-consecutive perfect wayyitten-lō {וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ | wayyitten-lō} ‘and he gave to him’ concludes the marriage transaction. The English translation preserves Hebrew parataxis while smoothing clause connections for readability. |