| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative uses a sequence of vav-consecutive verbs to indicate chronological progression: vayetze {וַיֵּצֵ֨א | wayyeṣēʾ} ‘and he went out’, vayyasimehu {וַיְשִׂמֵ֣הוּ | wayyasimehû} ‘and he appointed him’, and vayyiṭāv {וַיִּיטַב֙ | wayyiṭāv} ‘and it was pleasing’. The relative particle asher {אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾăšer} introduces the subordinate clause specifying the scope of Saul’s commissions expressed by yišlāḥehennu {יִשְׁלָחֶ֤נּוּ | yišlāḥehennu} ‘he sent him’. The Hiphil stem of yaskil {יַשְׂכִּ֔יל | yaśkîl} conveys repeated prudent success. Parallel prepositional phrases be’einei kol-ha-ʿām {בְּעֵינֵי כָל־הָעָ֔ם | bə-ʿêynê kol-hā-ʿām} ‘in the eyes of all the people’ and be’einei ʿavdê šāʾūl {בְּעֵינֵי עַבְדֵי שָׁאֽוּל | bə-ʿêynê ʿavdê šāʾûl} ‘in the eyes of Saul’s servants’ underscore both public and official approval. |