| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive imperfect vayomeru {וַיֹּאמְרוּ | vā-yō-merū} ‘and they said’, marking the opening of direct speech. The prepositional pronoun lo {ל֣וֹ | lō} ‘to him’ identifies David as the addressee, and the definite plural noun hagiv’onim {הַגִּבְעֹנִים | ha-gibʻōnîm} ‘the Gibeonites’ specifies the speakers. Two parallel existential clauses ein-lanu {אֵֽין־לָ֜נוּ | ʾēn-lā-nû} ‘there is not for us’ joined by conjunctions express absolute negation regarding kesef {כֶּ֤סֶף | ke-sep̄} ‘silver’ and zahav {זָהָב֙ | zā-hāv} ‘gold’. The coordinated prepositional phrases im-shaul ve-im-beito {עִם־שָׁא֣וּל וְעִם־בֵּית֔וֹ | ʿim-šāʼûl wə-ʿim-bētô} specify the source, while ve-ein-lanu ish lehamit {וְאֵֽין־לָ֥נוּ אִ֖ישׁ לְהָמִ֣ית | wə-ʾēn-lā-nû īš le-hā-mîṯ} negates personal vengeance. The second conjunction vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | vā-yō-mer} ‘and he said’ introduces David’s response, where mah-attem omrim {מָֽה־אַתֶּ֥ם אֹמְרִ֖ים | māʼ-ʼat-tem ʼomrîm} is rendered “Say what you require” in formal and “Tell me what you are asking” in dynamic, foregrounding the request. The imperfect eeseh {אֶעֱשֶׂה | ʾeʿeśeh} ‘I will do’ + lakhem {לָכֶֽם | lā-ḵem} ‘for you’ forms a strong pledge. The interplay of conjunctions, existential clauses, and infinitives maintains Hebrew’s rhetorical balance and emphasizes David’s commitment. |