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וְהַנַּ֧עַר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל מְשָׁרֵ֥ת אֶת־יְהוָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י עֵלִ֑י וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה הָיָ֤ה יָקָר֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ׃ ס        2 וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ וְעֵינוֹ הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵה֔וֹת לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֽוֹת׃ 3 וְנֵ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ טֶ֣רֶם יִכְבֶּ֔ה וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב בְּהֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם אֲר֥וֹן אֱלֹהִֽים׃ פ
4 וַיִּקְרָ֧א יְהוָ֛ה אֶל־שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃ 5 וַיָּ֣רָץ אֶל־עֵלִ֗י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הִנְנִי֙ כִּֽי־קָרָ֣אתָ לִּ֔י וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹֽא־קָרָ֖אתִי שׁ֣וּב שְׁכָ֑ב וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁכָּֽב׃ ס  

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            יקר  adjective: “rare” (BDB, 429)

            חזון  noun: “vision” (BDB, 302)

            פרץ  verb (Niphal participle ms): “spread” (BDB, 829)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The proper name, שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל, is in apposition to the word נער “boy.”
• The verbal construction of the first clause is periphrastic (מְשָׁרֵ֥ת Piel participle).
• The adjective, יקר, is functioning as a substantive.
• One would expect a waw to precede the final clause, אֵ֥ין חָז֖וֹן נִפְרָֽץ.  The lack of a connector, called asyndeton, can indicate an epexegetical comment explaining the previous remarks.  Answering the question: “Why was the word of the Lord rare in those days?”  Because “visions were not spread” (i.e. they were infrequent). 

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            הֵחֵ֣לּוּ  verb (Hiphil perfect 3mpl חלל): “defile, profane”

            כהה  “dim” (BDB, 462)

Verse 3

            נר  “lamp” (BDB, 632)

            טרם  “not yet” (BDB, 382)

            כבה  “extinguish” (BDB, 459)

            היכל  “temple”

Verse 4

            הִנֵּֽנִי  exclamation (הנה + 1cs pronoun) : “Here am I”

Verse 5

            רוץ  verb (Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “run”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The waw in the second clause should be understood as continuative from the previous phrase, “that.”
• The clause, וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמ֑וֹ, is periphrastic.
• The Kethib reads a singular subject with a plural verb: “His eye (were defiled);” whereas, the Qere reads a plural subject and verb: וְעֵינָיו֙ “His eyes were defiled.”
• The final clause exhibits asyndeton indicating an epexegetical (explanative) remark.

Verse 3

• The first clause begins with a disjunctive waw (waw plus non-verb).
• The relative particle, אֲשֶׁר, plus שָׁ֖ם is understood as “where.”
• This verse may cause some confusion if one does not distinguish correctly the position, or relevance, of each clause within the overall structure.  Translating this verse word-for-word results in the following English rendering: “Now the lamp of God had not yet gone out and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God resided.”  This understanding seems to indicate that Samuel was sleeping in the place of the ark of God!  A more careful reading of the text, however, demonstrates a very different story.  The clause, וּשְׁמוּאֵ֖ל שֹׁכֵ֑ב, is a disjunctive phrase functioning as a parenthetical comment that is place in the middle of one idea.  The verse should be understood thusly: “Now the lamp of God had not yet gone out in the temple of the Lord where the ark of God resided; yet Samuel was asleep.”  The point of the text is not that Samuel slept in the Most Holy place, but that he was asleep before the lamp in the temple burned out.

Verse 4

• The Lord calls out and Samuel responds.

Verse 5

• The small פ indicates an open paragraph (i.e. space was left at the end of the line) in the Leningradensis B19^a Codex.  The small ס indicates a closed paragraph (i.e. only a small gap was left at the end of the paragraph before the next paragraph began on the same line).

 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל גֹּ֣שׁוּ הֵ֔נָּה וְשִׁמְע֕וּ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם׃ 10 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ בְּזֹאת֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן כִּ֛י אֵ֥ל חַ֖י בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְהוֹרֵ֣שׁ יוֹרִ֣ישׁ מִ֠פְּנֵיכֶם אֶת־הַכְּנַעֲנִ֨י וְאֶת־הַחִתִּ֜י וְאֶת־הַחִוִּ֗י וְאֶת־הַפְּרִזִּי֙ וְאֶת־הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֔י וְהָאֱמֹרִ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃ 11 הִנֵּה֙ אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲד֖וֹן כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ עֹבֵ֥ר לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם בַּיַּרְדֵּֽן׃ 12 וְעַתָּ֗ה קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ שְׁנֵ֣י עָשָׂ֣ר אִ֔ישׁ מִשִּׁבְטֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד לַשָּֽׁבֶט׃ 13 וְהָיָ֡ה כְּנ֣וֹחַ כַּפּ֣וֹת רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים נֹשְׂאֵי֩ אֲר֨וֹן יְהוָ֜ה אֲד֤וֹן כָּל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ בְּמֵ֣י הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן מֵ֤י הַיַּרְדֵּן֙ יִכָּ֣רֵת֔וּן הַמַּ֥יִם הַיֹּרְדִ֖ים מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְיַעַמְד֖וּ נֵ֥ד אֶחָֽד׃

Vocabulary

Verse 9

            נגשׁ  verb (Qal imperative mpl): “come near”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The enclitic, הֵ֔נָּה, is emphatic.

Vocabulary

Verse 10

        חי  adjective: “living”

Verse 11

            ירדן  name: “Jordan”

Verse 12

            שׁבט  noun: “tribe”

Verse 13

            נוח  verb (Qal infinitive construct): “rest”

            כף  “sole (of foot)”

            גד  noun: “heap” (BDB, 622)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 10

• The final letter of the verb, תֵּֽדְע֔וּן, is a paragogic nun.
• The word, כִּ֛י, is being used like the relative “that.”
• The verbal structure, infinitive absolute plus finite verb (same root), is emphatic, “he will surely dispossess.”  The object of the transitive verb is marked by the direct object marker, את.

Verse 11

• The noun phrase, אֲר֣וֹן הַבְּרִ֔ית אֲד֖וֹן כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ, is used here and in verse 13.
• The hireq-yod suffix is the gentilic ending.
• The word, פנים, literally means “face,” but can indicate “presence” figuratively.

Verse 12

• The numerals eleven through nineteen are written without the conjunctive, waw (GKC 97d).  Thus, שְׁנֵ֣י עָשָׂ֣ר is “twelve” (cf. 1 Kings 7:25).
• The repetition of a phrase with a number indicates a distributive usage (GKC 134q).  The phrase, אִישׁ־אֶחָ֥ד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד לַשָּֽׁבֶט, should be understood as “one man from each tribe.”

Verse 13

• The preposition kaf is acting temporally as “when.”
• The final letter of יִכָּ֣רֵת֔וּן is a paragogic nun.
• The phrase, הַיֹּרְדִ֖ים מִלְמָ֑עְלָה, is an asyndetic relative clause.

 אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הָיָה דְבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה לֵאמֹר אַל־תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד׃ 2 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִי וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי וּבֶן־מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי הוּא דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר׃ 3 וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּה זָרַע וְהִנֵּה בֶן־בֵּיתִי יוֹרֵשׁ אֹתִי׃ 4 וְהִנֵּה דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר לֹא יִירָשְׁךָ זֶה כִּי־אִם אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ הוּא יִירָשֶׁךָ׃ 5 וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר הַבֶּט־נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וּסְפֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים אִם־תּוּכַל לִסְפֹּר אֹתָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ׃ 6 וְהֶאֱמִן בַּיהוָה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            אחר  preposition/adverb: “after, afterwards”

            מחזה  noun: “vision” (BDB, 303)

            מגן  “shield”

            שכר  noun: “reward” (BDB, 969)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The negation, אַל, is used with the jussive modality.
• The verbless clause, אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ, is an epexegetical remark.

Vocabulary

Verse 2

            ערירי  “childless” (BDB, 792)

            בן־משׁק  “acquisition, possession” (BDB, 606); idiomatic “heir” (GKC, 128v)

            דמשק  name: “Damascus”

            אליעזר  name: “Eliezer” (meaning: “God is my helper”)

Verse 3

            הֵן  shortened form of הנּה

Verse 4

            מעה  “inward parts” (BDB, 588)

Verse 5

            כוכב  “star” (BDB, 456)

            חוץ  “outside”

Verse 6

            חשׁב  verb (Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3fs): “account”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• The noun phrase, אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה, is a vocative of address.
• The pointing of the Divine Name indicates that the reading, i.e. Qere, used the word, אלהים, and not the normal substitution, אדני, for this perpetual Kethib-Qere; lest, the word, אדני “lord,” would be repetitious.
• The clause connector waw can be a simple conjunctive (i.e. “and”) or a conditional/circumstantial clause indicator (e.g. “since”).
• The verb, הוֹלֵךְ, is periphrastic and spelled plene.
• The noun phrase, דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר, is left fronted and replaced by the 3ms suffix, הוּא, functioning as the predicate nominative of the clause.

Verse 3

• The final two words make up a substantival, participial phrase (participle and object of the participle, יוֹרֵשׁ אֹתִי), possibly best rendered as “my heir.”

Verse 4

• The combination of particles, כי־אם, is a limiting factor—“but, but rather.”

Verse 5

• The particle, אִם, initiates an indirect question (GKC 150i).

Verse 6

• The subject (3fs) of the final clause is צְדָקָה “righteousness.”

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 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה כָּכָה יֹאכְלוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־לַחְמָם טָמֵא בַּגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר אַדִּיחֵם שָׁם׃ 14 וָאֹמַר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנֵּה נַפְשִׁי לֹא מְטֻמָּאָה וּנְבֵלָה וּטְרֵפָה לֹא־אָכַלְתִּי מִנְּעוּרַי וְעַד־עַתָּה וְלֹא־בָא בְּפִי בְּשַׂר פִּגּוּל׃ ס          15 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת־[צְפוּעֵי] הַבָּקָר תַּחַת גֶּלְלֵי הָאָדָם וְעָשִׂיתָ אֶת־לַחְמְךָ עֲלֵיהֶם׃ ס          16 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי בֶּן־אָדָם הִנְנִי שֹׁבֵר מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם בִּירוּשָׁלִַם וְאָכְלוּ־לֶחֶם בְּמִשְׁקָל וּבִדְאָגָה וּמַיִם בִּמְשׂוּרָה וּבְשִׁמָּמוֹן יִשְׁתּוּ׃ 17 לְמַעַן יַחְסְרוּ לֶחֶם וָמָיִם וְנָשַׁמּוּ אִישׁ וְאָחִיו וְנָמַקּוּ בַּעֲוֹנָם׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 13

            ככה  “thus” (BDB, 462)

            טמא  “unclean”

            נדח  verb (Hiphil): “thrust out, banish” (BDB, 623)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The relative particle, אשׁר, points to a syntactic value within the relative clause.  In this case it corresponds to the place of banishment, i.e. “where.”

Vocabulary

Verse 14

            אההּ  “Alas” (BDB, 13)

            נבלה  “carcass” (BDB, 615)

טרפה  “animal torn” (BDB, 383)

            נעורים  “youth” (BDB, 655)

            פגול  “waste, refuse” (BDB, 803)

Verse 15

            צפוע  “dung” (BDB, 861)

            גל  “dung” (BDB, 165)

Verse 16

            משׁקל  “weight” (BDB, 1054)

            דאגה  “anxiety” (BDB, 178)

            משורה  “measure” (BDB, 601)

            שׁממון  noun: “horror” (BDB, 1031)

Verse 17

            חסר  verb: “lack, need” (BDB, 341)

            שׁמם  verb (Niphal): “be appalled”

            מקק  verb: “pine away” (BDB, 596)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 14

• The particle, אֲהָהּ, marks a vocative noun phrase.  It may be accompanied by a name (Lord God: Joshua 7:7, Judges 6:22, 2 Kings 6:15, Jeremiah 1:6, 4:10, 14:13, 32:17, Ezekiel 9:8, 11:13, 21:5), title (my master: 2 Kings 6:5; my daughter: Judges 11:35) or by itself (2 Kings 3:10, Joel 1:15).
• The compound direct object of the second clause is נְבֵלָה וּטְרֵפָה.

Verse 15

• Qere: צְפִיעֵי.
• The prepositional object, עֲלֵיהֶם “over them,” is plural because its referent is plural, גֶּלְלֵי הָאָדָם  “human dung(s)”.
• One has to ask whether or not animal dung is more clean than human feces (Deut. 23:14).

Verse 16

·        The noun phrase, מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם, is used five times several of which are found in the Book of Ezekiel (Lev. 26:26; Ps. 105:16; Ezek. 4:16, 5:16, 14:13).  The parallel usage (cf. Ps 105:16; Ezekiel 14:13) indicates that the idiom, “breaking the staff of bread,” refers to famine.

Verse 17

• The three clauses together are connected by the sequenced waw-consecutive perfects and are the result (לְמַעַן) of Israel’s rebellion.