| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayomer {וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | wā-yō-mér} ‘and he said’, a vav-consecutive Qal imperfect that introduces direct speech. The existential interrogative ha’eyn {הַאֵ֨ין | ha’ên} ‘is there not?’ with the locative poh {פֹּ֥ה | pōh} ‘here’ sets up a rhetorical question. The noun navi {נָבִ֛יא | nāvîʾ} ‘prophet’ is specified by laYHWH {לַיהוָ֖ה | la-Yahweh} ‘of the LORD’, indicating divine appointment. The adverb ’od {ע֑וֹד | ʿōḏ} ‘still’ conveys expectation of additional counsel. Venidroshah {וְנִדְרְשָׁ֖ה | wə-nidrəššāh}, a Niphal cohortative first person plural, expresses the king’s intent to seek guidance, and is completed by me’ohto {מֵאֹתֽוֹ | mê-ʾōṯô} ‘from him’, defining the source. In English, the cohortative becomes a purpose clause (“whom we may inquire of” / “whom we can ask”) to preserve the Hebrew sense of initiative. |