| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive Qal imperfect vatomer {וַתֹּאמֶר | waṯ-ṯō-mer} introducing direct speech. The compound prepositional noun el-shimshon {אֶל־שִׁמְשׁ֔וֹן | ʾel-šim-šôn} marks Delilah’s address to Samson. The Hiphil imperative hagidah-na {הַגִּֽידָה־נָּא | ha-gi-ḏāh-nāʾ} plus entreaty particle na conveys an urgent request. Two parallel interrogative phrases, bameh {בַּמֶּה | ba-meh}…gadol {גָד֑וֹל | gä-dōl} and uvameh {וּבַמֶּ֥ה | u-ba-meh}, frame questions about the cause and method of Samson’s power. The first question interrogates the source of his strength, while the second employs the Niphal imperfect te’aser {תֵאָסֵ֖ר | tē-ˀā-sēr} with the Piel infinitive le-anotekha {לְעַנּוֹתֶֽךָ | lə-ʿan-nō-wṯe-ḵā} to express the possibility of binding with the purpose of afflicting him. This syntactic parallelism emphasizes Delilah’s strategic probing, and the infinitival construction is rendered in English to preserve both potential and purpose relationships. |