| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive verb vattehi {וַתְּהִי | wā·ṯə·hî} ‘and it was’ combined with the adverb ’od {עוֹד | ʿōḏ} ‘again’ to signal renewed conflict. The definite noun hammilkhamah {הַמִּלְחָמָה | hammil·ḥā·māh} ‘the battle’ is located at Gob by begov {בְּג֖וֹב | bə·gōḇ} and involves the adversaries pelishtim {פְּלִשְׁתִּים | pel·ish·tîm}. The main action is introduced by vay-yakh {וַיַּךְ | way·yak} ‘and he struck’, identifying elhanan {אֶלְחָנָן | ʾel·ḥā·nān} with the construct ben-ya‘rei orgim {בֶּן־יַעְרֵ֨י אֹרְגִ֜ים | ben-ya·rē’ ʾor·gîm} ‘son of Jaarei-oregim’ and the gentilic phrase beit ha-lakhmi {בֵּ֣ית הַלַּחְמִי | bêt·ha·ḷa·ḥmî} ‘Bethlehemite’. The direct-object marker et {אֵ֚ת | ʾēṯ} introduces golyat haggiti {גָּלְיָת הַגִּתִּי | gā·lî·yāṯ hag·gî·tî} ‘Goliath the Gittite’. The simile kimmnor orgim {כִּמְנ֖וֹר אֹרְגִֽים | kimmô·nôr ʾor·gîm} ‘like a weaver’s beam’ emphasizes the formidable bulk of the spear’s shaft. |