וַיֹּ֤אמֶר

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר

   va-yo-MER

   and he said
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙

   va-yo-MER da-VID

   and he said David
3. clause🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֵ֤ין כָּמֹ֙והָ֙ תְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּֽי׃

   va-yo-MER da-VID EN ka-MO-ha te-nen-NA LI

   and he said David there is not like it give it to me
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַכֹּהֵ֗ן חֶ֣רֶב גָּלְיָ֨ת הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜י אֲשֶׁר־הִכִּ֤יתָ בְּעֵ֣מֶק הָֽאֵלָ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה־הִ֜יא לוּטָ֤ה בַשִּׂמְלָה֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י הָאֵפֹ֔וד אִם־אֹתָ֤הּ תִּקַּח־לְךָ֙ קַ֔ח כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין אַחֶ֖רֶת זוּלָתָ֣הּ בָּזֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֵ֤ין כָּמֹ֙והָ֙ תְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּֽי׃

   va-yo-MER ha-ko-HEN KHE-rev gal-YAT ha-ple-shi-TI a-SHER-hi-KHI-ta be-E-mek ha-e-LA hin-NE-hi lu-TA va-sim-LA a-kha-RE ha-e-FOD im-o-TA ti-KAKH-le-KHA KAKH KI EN a-KHE-ret zu-la-TA ba-ZE va-yo-MER da-VID EN ka-MO-ha te-nen-NA LI

   and he said the priest sword Goliath the Philistine whom you struck in the valley of Elah behold, it wrapped in the cloak behind the ephod if it you will take for yourself take for there is not another besides it in this place and he said David there is not like it give it to me

Exegesis

The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive on wayyōmer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said,’ marking the transition into the priest’s direct speech.

Following this, a second vav-consecutive wayyōmer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} marks David’s reply, where ʾēn kemōhāh lāzōth {אֵין כְּמוֹהָּ לָזֹאת | ʾēn kemōhāh lāzōth} expresses uniqueness and tənēh lī {תְּנֵה לִי | tənēh lī} issues a request for possession.

Root and etymology

א־מ־ר🔊 aleph–mem–resh

“to say, speak”

• 🔊 אִמְרָהʾimrahutterancePsalm 77:9