| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with vayyomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | way·yo·mer} ‘and he said’, a vav-consecutive + qal imperfect marking sequential direct speech. The VSO order places ha-melekh {הַמֶּלֶךְ | ham·me·lekh} ‘the king’ immediately after the verb, emphasizing the royal speaker. The prepositional phrase lə-tsiva {לְצִבָא | lə·tsi·vāʾ} ‘to Ziba’ identifies the addressee. The interjection hinneh {הִנֵּה | hin·néh} ‘behold’ introduces a formal announcement. The construct kol asher limpi-boshet {כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לִמְפִי-בֹשֶׁת | kôl ǎ·šer lim·pi·bō·šet} ‘all that to Mephibosheth’ functions as a legal bequest. Ziba’s response opens with hishtachaveti {הִשְׁתַּחֲוֵיתִי | his·ta·ḥă·wě·ṯī} ‘I have bowed down’, a Hithpael perfect conveying humility. The cohortative emtsa-chen {אֶמְצָא-חֵן | ʾem·ṣāʾ·ḥên} expresses a hopeful petition for favor, with be-eineikha {בְּעֵינֶיךָ | bə·ʿe·nei·ḵā} ‘in your eyes’ denoting approval. The titles adoni {אֲדֹנִי | ǎ·dō·nī} ‘my lord’ and ha-melekh {הַמֶּלֶךְ | ham·me·lekh} ‘the king’ reaffirm deference. English sequence is smoothed for clarity while preserving focus on the legal transfer and respectful posture. |