הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ

   hish-sha-VU

   swear
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ לִ֔י

   hish-sha-VU LI

   swear to me
3. clause🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ לִ֔י פֶּֽן־תִּפְגְּע֥וּן בִּ֖י אַתֶּֽם׃

   va-YO-mer la-HEM shim-SHON hish-sha-VU LI pen-tif-ge-UN BI a-TEM

   and he said to them Samson swear to me lest you strike against me you {yourselves}
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמְרוּ לוֹ֙ לֶאֱסָרְךָ֣ יָרַ֔דְנוּ לְתִתְּךָ֖ בְּיַד־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ לִ֔י פֶּֽן־תִּפְגְּע֥וּן בִּ֖י אַתֶּֽם׃

   va-yo-me-RU LO le-e-sar-KHA ya-RAD-nu le-tit-te-KHA be-YAD-pe-li-SHET-tim va-YO-mer la-HEM shim-SHON hish-sha-VU LI pen-tif-ge-UN BI a-TEM

   and they said to him to bind you we have come down to give you into the hand of Philistines and he said to them Samson swear to me lest you strike against me you {yourselves}

Exegesis

Samson’s demand uses the Niphal imperative hishavu {הִשָּׁבְע֣וּ | hi-šā-v‘û} to elicit an oath with a protective clause introduced by pen {פֶּן־ | pen}, linking tifge’un {תִּפְגְּע֥וּן | tif-ge-‘ûn} and the preposition bi {בִּ֖י | bî} to form a conditional prohibition against personal attack. The shifts in verb forms highlight both the Judean leaders’ resolve and Samson’s concern for personal safety.