| 29. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} “and he said,” marking David’s reply. The Qal imperative lēkh-nāʾ {לֵךְ-נָּא | lēkh nāʾ} “let me go, please” combines command with entreaty. The conjunction kî {כִּי | kî} “for” introduces a causal clause headed by the Hiphil participle ma‘ăbîr {מַעֲבִיר | ma‘ă·bîr} “is bringing over,” indicating ongoing preparation. The construct chain ’et-bēṯ-’ăḇî ba‘ălî ben-’ăḥî {אֶת-בֵּית-אֲבִי בַּעֲלִי בֶּן-אֲחִי | ’et-bēṯ ’ă·ḇî ba‘ă·lî ben-’ă·ḥî} specifies “the house of my father, my household head, my brother’s son.” The infinitival la‘ăṣōṯ ’ōlāh {לַעֲשֹׂת עֹלָה | la‘ă·ṣōṯ ’ō·lāh} “to perform a sacrifice” expresses purpose, with ba‘îr {בָּעִיר | ba·‘îr} “in the city” marking location. The perfect ṣiwāh {צִוָּה | ṣi·wāh} “he commanded” plus liḥyōṯ {לִהְיוֹת | liḥ·yōṯ} “to be” sets obligation. The conditional ’im-māṣāṯî ḥên {אִם-מָצָאתִי חֵן | ’im-mā·ṣāṯî ḥên} “if I have found favor” introduces the imperatival response tənāh {תְּנָה | tə·nāh} “grant!” Finally the infinitives nāśōʾ {נָּשֹׂא | nā·śōʾ} “to carry” and li·r·’ōṯ {לִרְאוֹת | li·r·’ōṯ} “to see” outline David’s intended actions. |