| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect verb vayishlach {וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח | wə-yish-lā-ḥ} ‘and he sent’, establishing sequential narrative action. Shaʾul {שָׁאוּל֙ | šā-ʾūl} functions as the subject, followed by the direct object et-ha-malʾākhim {אֶת־הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים | ʾet-ha-mal-ʾā-ḵîm}. The infinitive li-rʾōṯ {לִרְא֥וֹת | li-rə-ʾōṯ} expresses purpose ‘to see’ David. The infinitive lē-ʾemor {לֵאמֹ֑ר | lē-ʾê-môr} introduces direct speech. Within the quotation, the Qal imperative haʿālû {הַעֲל֨וּ | ha-ʿă-lû} ‘bring up’ issues the command with ʾōṯô {אֹת֧וֹ | ʾōṯô} ‘him’ as object. The phrase ba-miṭṭāh {בַמִּטָּ֛ה | ba-miṭ-ṭāh} ‘in the bed’ indicates location, while ʾelayya {אֵלַ֖י | ʾê-lay-yā} ‘to me’ marks direction toward Saul. The Hiphil infinitive la-hammîtō {לַהֲמִתֽוֹ | la-hă-mîṯō} ‘to kill him’ expresses the purpose of the command. This sequence of purpose infinitives and imperative introduced by the speech formula is characteristic of Hebrew narrative structuring a lethal mission. |