| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The main narrative verb is neʾeṣāp̄û {נֶאֱסְפוּ | nĕ-ʾəṣ-āp̄û} ‘they were gathered,’ introducing the assembly of Philistine princes. It is followed by two purpose clauses, lizbōaḥ {לִזְבֹּחַ | liz-bō-aḥ} ‘to sacrifice’ and û-lə-simḥāh {וּלְשִׂמְחָה | û-lə-sim-ḥāh} ‘and to rejoice,’ with the lamed prefix marking intention. The object phrase zēvāḥ-gādōl {זֶבַח־גָּד֛וֹל | zē-vāḥ-gā-dōl} receives lizbōaḥ. The construct lə-dā-gōn ʾelōhêhem {לְדָג֥וֹן אֱלֹהֵיהֶם | lə-dā-gōn ʾĕ-lō-hê-hem} specifies the deity. Vav consecutive in way-yōʾămrû {וַיֹּאמְרוּ | way-yō-ʾăm-rû} shifts to reported speech. The perfect nāṯān {נָתַן | nā-ṯān} ‘he has given’ denotes completed divine action, with ʾēṯ {אֵת | ʾēṯ} marking the accusative targets šimšôn {שִׁמְשׁוֹן | šim-šôn} ‘Samson’ and ʾôyvênû {אוֹיְבֵינוּ | ʾôy-vê-nû} ‘our enemy.’ The English preserves the dual infinitives and vav-sequential flows to reflect Hebrew clause relations. |