| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative marker vayehi {וַיְהִי֩ | wayyihî} ‘and it was’ introduces a new episode and establishes existential context. The indefinite expression ish echad {אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֧ד | ʾîš ’ĕḥād} marks “a certain man.” The locative construct mitsoreah mimmishpachat hadani {מִצָּרְעָה מִמִּשְׁפַּ֥חַת הַדָּנִ֖י | miṣṣōrə‘āh mimmisp̄aḥat haddānî} specifies origin and tribal affiliation. The conjunction ushemo {וּשְׁמ֣וֹ | ū-šə-mō} introduces Manoah {מָנ֑וֹחַ | mānōaḥ} by name. The sequence veishto akarah velo yaladah {וְאִשְׁתּ֥וֹ עֲקָרָ֖ה וְלֹ֥א יָלָֽדָה | wə-’ištô ‘ăqārāh wə-lō yālāḏāh} combines an adjective of barrenness with negation to emphasize the ongoing state and lack of offspring. English rendering maintains this description by pairing “sterile” or “childless” with the negated perfect tense “had not borne” or “had never given birth.” |