| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōmer} ‘and he said,’ introducing David’s reply. The vocative phrase ’adoni hamméleḵ {אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ | ’ădōnî hamméleḵ} ‘my lord the king’ conveys royal deference. The first kî {כִּי | kî} clauses causally link rimmānî {רִמַּנִי | rimmānî} ‘deceived me’ to the nested quotation beginning with ’āmar ’avdekā {אָמַר עַבְדְּךָ | ’āmar ’ăḇdekā} ‘your servant said.’ Within the quotation, the Qal imperfect verbs eḥbbešā-lî {אֶחְבְּשָׁה־לִּי | ’eḥbbešā-lî} and wə’erkāḇ {וְאֶרְכַּב | wə’erkāḇ} express intended future actions. The direct object marker ’et in ’et-hamméleḵ shifts focus back to David accompanying the king. The second kî clause explains limitation via pîṣēaḥ {פִסֵּחַ | pîṣēaḥ} ‘lame.’ The structure’s alternating kî and waw-consecutive pattern highlights both the promise made and the physical hindrance that prevented its fulfillment. |