| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav consecutive verb vattosef {וַתּ֥וֹסֶף | waṯ-ṯô-séph} ‘she resumed,’ indicating that hostilities recommenced. The phrase ha-milchamah {הַמִּלְחָמָה | ham-mil-ḥa-mâ} ‘the battle’ is the subject, with the infinitive construct lihyot {לִֽהְיוֹת | li-hiy-yôt} ‘to be’ marking its ongoing state. A rapid series of vav consecutive verbs—vayetse {וַיֵּצֵ֨א | way-yê-ṣēʾ} ‘he went out,’ vayilachem {וַיִּלָּ֣חֶם | way-yil-lā-ḥêm} ‘he fought,’ vayakh {וַיַּךְ | way-yakk} ‘he struck,’ and vayanusu {וַיָּנֻסוּ | way-yan-nû-sû} ‘they fled’—advances the narrative swiftly. The phrase ba-pelishtim {בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֗ים | ba-pə-lish-tîm} ‘against the Philistines’ specifies the foe. The construct makkah gedolah {מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה | mak-kâ ḡê-dō-lâ} ‘a great blow’ underscores the decisive nature of David’s strike. The directional phrase mipanav {מִפָּנָיו | mi-pā-nā-v} ‘from before him’ highlights the Philistines’ retreat in his presence, linking cause and effect in the narrative. |