וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת

   va-yil-POT

   and he grasped
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן

   va-yil-POT shim-SHON

   and he grasped Samson
3. clause🔊 וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י עַמּוּדֵ֣י הַתָּ֗וֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הַבַּ֙יִת֙ נָכ֣וֹן עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם

   va-yil-POT shim-SHON et-she-NE a-mu-DE ha-TA-vekh a-SHER ha-BA-yit na-KHON a-le-HEM va-yis-sa-MEKH a-le-HEM

   and he grasped Samson the two pillars of the middle which the house was set up upon them and he leaned upon them
4. sentence🔊 וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת שִׁמְשׁ֜וֹן אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י עַמּוּדֵ֣י הַתָּ֗וֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הַבַּ֙יִת֙ נָכ֣וֹן עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּסָּמֵ֖ךְ עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם אֶחָ֥ד בִּימִינ֖וֹ וְאֶחָ֥ד בִּשְׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃

   va-yil-POT shim-SHON et-she-NE a-mu-DE ha-TA-vekh a-SHER ha-BA-yit na-KHON a-le-HEM va-yis-sa-MEKH a-le-HEM e-KHAD bi-yi-mi-NO ve-e-KHAD bi-se-MO-lo

   and he grasped Samson the two pillars of the middle which the house was set up upon them and he leaned upon them one in his right hand and one in his left hand

Exegesis

The narrative begins with vayilpot {וַיִּלְפֹּ֨ת | wa-yyil-pōṯ} ‘and he grasped’, where the prefixed vav denotes sequential action in the Qal imperfect.

Root and etymology

l-p-ṭ🔊 ל־פ־טlamed–pe–ṭav

“to fasten, grasp tightly”

• 🔊 לִפְטlipeṭgripJudges 16:29