1 Samuel 17:21

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ותערך וַתַּעֲרֹךְ

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wāw

Definition

sequential 'and'

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

Vav Conversive/Consecutive: The category “vav conversive / vav consecutive” is not an ancient grammatical datum; it is a modern explanatory construct, developed by early Hebraists to force Biblical Hebrew into a Latin/chronological tense model that it simply does not share.

The notion arose in early modern grammar (17th–19th c.) when scholars assumed:
- verbs must encode tense,
- narratives must advance by past → present → future,
- therefore Hebrew forms that “don’t behave” must be converted.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ערך

ʻârak

Definition

to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to set in a row, i.e. arrange, put in order (in a very wide variety of applications); put (set) (the battle, self) in array, compare, direct, equal, esteem, estimate, expert (in war), furnish, handle, join (battle), ordain, (lay, put, reckon up, set) (in) order, prepare, tax, value.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6186

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עָרַךְ

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1134

Tr. to place in a row, to set in order, to put in order. To prepare a table or war. To set a cause (self-defence) in order, to prepare words against one, to set over against, to compare with, to set an equal value upon, to outweigh, to establish. Hifil: to value, to estimate.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עֶרֶךְ

noun masculine • Root ערך • Page 528

1. Whatever is arranged or put in order, a row (Ex. 40:23). 2. Armour (Job 41:4). 3. Valuation, estimation (Lev. 27:2). 4. Price of valuation, worth generally (Lev. 27:4, Job 28:13).

עָרַךְ

verb • Page 527

1. to set right, to arrange, prepare; e. g. the wood upon the altar, the shew-bread, the table for a feast, armour for battle. 2. to prepare or utter words.

עָרַךְ

verb • Page 528

To set in order, arrange. Sense 2: To put or set one’s self in battle-array (Judg. 20:30). Sense 3: To compare, liken (Is. 40:18). Sense 4: (Hiph.) To value, esteem, appraise (Job 36:19, Lev. 27:8).

conjunctive, Verb Qal sequential imperfect third person feminine singular

LXX: παρετάξαντο τιμήσεται παρετάξατο ἰσωθήσεται παρατάσσονται

LXX Usage Statistics

H6186a:

παρετάξαντο 10× (12.0%)

τιμήσεται 5× (6.3%)

παρετάξατο 4× (4.9%)

ἰσωθήσεται 3× (4.2%)

παρατάσσονται 3× (3.7%)

ἐπιστοιβάσουσιν 3× (3.5%)

--- 2× (2.8%)

παρατάξασθαι 2× (2.8%)

ἡτοίμασα 2× (2.8%)

---% 2× (1.9%)

ישראל יִשְׂרָאֵל

God-Contends

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ישראל

Yisrâʼêl

Definition

Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

Root

from H8280 (שרה) and H410 (אל); he will rule as God;

Exhaustive

from שרה and אל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3478

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יִשְׂרָאֵל

noun proper masculine • Root שרה • Strongs / High • Page 662

A proper name with multiple meanings: the patriarch Jacob; the Israelite people; an honorary title for the pious; the northern kingdom of Israel; the whole kingdom after the exile.

יִשְׂרָאֵל

noun proper masculine • Root ישר • Strongs / High • Page 662

A proper name, meaning 'El is a true, honest one.' Described as a ground-form to יְשַׂרְאֵלָה.

Noun proper name

LXX: ισραηλ '' --- ιακωβ

LXX Usage Statistics

H3478:

ισραηλ 2245× (92.9%)

'' 57× (2.1%)

--- 50× (2.2%)

ισραηλ 8× (0.3%)

ιακωβ 4× (0.2%)

t? 4× (0.1%)

ιερουσαλημ 4× (0.2%)

[b] 3× (0.1%)

ισραηλίτου 3× (0.1%)

ισραηλίτιδοσ 3× (0.1%)

ופלשתים וּפְלִשְׁתִּים

and Wanderers ("Philistines")

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ו

wə

Definition

and

Root

From H8505; a prefix

Exhaustive

The conjunctive ו is not merely a fixed coordinator with a stable semantic value (“and/but/or/then”). Its core function is linkage, not meaning. It binds units into a single discourse field—phrases, clauses, or whole scenes—while leaving the logical relation to be inferred from aspect, word order, genre, and context.

So the variability in translation (“and / but / or / even / then”) is not polyvalence in the particle; it is underspecification by design. The language expects the reader/hearer to perceive the relation rather than have it encoded.

Crucially, conjunctive ו does not imply temporal sequence. It implies continuity of attention. Think of it as:
- “this belongs with what precedes,”
- “remain within the same frame,”
“do not reset the discourse.”
This is why Hebrew can chain dozens of clauses with ו without subordination or explicit logic markers. The text advances by accumulation, not by branching syntactic trees. Meaning arises from the interaction:
- Aspect (qatal / yiqtol / participle),
- Position (fronted elements, resumptive nouns),
- Genre (law, narrative, oracle),
- Context (who speaks, to whom).
The ו simply keeps the circuit closed so these cues can operate together. Remove tense assumptions, and the system becomes coherent.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

פלשת

Pᵉlesheth

Definition

Pelesheth, a region of Syria

Root

from H6428 (פלש); rolling, i.e. migratory;

Exhaustive

from פלש; rolling, i.e. migratory; Pelesheth, a region of Syria; Palestina, Palestine, Philistia, Philistines.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6429

פלשתי

Pᵉlishtîy

Definition

a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth

Root

patrial from H6429 (פלשת);

Exhaustive

patrial from פלשת; a Pelishtite or inhabitant of Pelesheth; Philistine.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6430

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

פְּלַשְׁתִּים

noun proper • Consonantal / Medium • Page 1175

the Philistine Sea, i. e. the Mediterranean (Ex. 23, 31).

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

פְּלֶשֶׁת

f. proper name • Page 545

Philistia, the proper name of a country in the southwestern part of Palestine. References: Gen. 10:14, Ex. 15:14, Is. 14:28.

Conjunction, Noun gentilic masculine plural absolute

LXX: ἀλλοφύλων ἀλλόφυλοι ἀλλοφύλουσ '' φυλιστιιμ

LXX Usage Statistics

H6429:

ἀλλοφύλων 118× (41.1%)

ἀλλόφυλοι 73× (24.7%)

ἀλλοφύλουσ 27× (8.7%)

'' 17× (5.6%)

φυλιστιιμ 11× (3.9%)

ἀλλοφύλοισ 10× (2.7%)

ἀλλόφυλοσ 9× (2.9%)

ἀλλόφυλον 7× (2.3%)

ἀλλόφυλοι 6× (2.2%)

ἀλλοφύλου 6× (2.0%)

H6430:

No stats available

מערכה מַעֲרָכָה

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מערכה

maʻărâkâh

Definition

an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array

Root

feminine of H4633 (מערך);

Exhaustive

feminine of מערך; an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array; army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4634

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מַעֲרָכָה

feminine noun • Root ערך • Strongs / High • Page 889

array, an army put in battle-array; an army generally. Also arrangement, setting forth, of the shew-bread, of the lambs, or of the wood on an altar.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מַעֲרָכָה

noun feminine • Root ערך • Page 395

1. an arranging, a setting in order. Ex. 39: 37; Judg. 6: 26; Gen. 22: 9. 2. order of battle, battle-array. 1 Sam. 4: 16; 17: 22, 48.

Noun common feminine singular absolute

LXX: '' παράταξιν παρατάξεωσ παρατάξει

LXX Usage Statistics

H4634:

'' 6× (29.3%)

παράταξιν 4× (21.3%)

παρατάξεωσ 3× (14.7%)

παρατάξει 2× (8.0%)

לקראת לִקְרַאת

to encounter/meet

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ל

lə

Definition

to, for

Root

A primitive particle; a prefix

Exhaustive

(lamed) — to / toward / for

Core value: orientation, directionality, belonging
ל is often mistranslated as purpose (“in order to”), but that smuggles in future-time. In reality, ל marks:
- movement toward,
- dedication unto,
- reference with respect to.
Aonically, ל is vectorial, not teleological.
not “for the sake of a future outcome”
but “oriented toward a locus or pole.”
This is why possession (“belongs to”) and motion (“toward”) use the same preposition: both indicate relational alignment, not time.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

קרא

qârâʼ

Definition

to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to encounter, whether accidentally or in a hostile manner; befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon), fall out, happen, meet.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H7122

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

קָרָא

verb • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 755

to call

קָרָא

verb • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1292

To cry, raise the voice loud, call, cry out (intr.); to call upon, implore God; to proclaim, announce, preach; to praise, celebrate aloud; to name, assign a name (trans.).

קָרָא

verb • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1293

To call (to name, to be named); to call together, to invite (to an assembly or feast); to summon (for defense or tribunal); to call forth, to appoint; to choose; to read aloud, to proclaim. (Nif'al: To be called, celebrated, named, read, or reckoned as belonging to someone).

קָרָא

verb • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1293

(Pi'el: קֵרֵא) To strike upon or hit against a thing; hence to meet, to happen, to befall. (Nif'al: נִקְרָא) To go or come to one, to encounter a person (accidentally), to be met with, to meet by chance, to happen. (Hif'il: הִקְרִיאָ) To cause to happen or befall, misfortune.

קָרָא

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1294

To call, summon, invite; to proclaim, publish; to read; to name.

קָרָא

verb qal • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1293

To call, call out, cry, proclaim; to call together, convoke; to invite; to summon (to tribunal); to call forth, appoint; to call into existence; to choose; to name or be called; to read aloud, declaim.

קָרָא

verb • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1293

To be called, chosen, to be named.

קָרָא

verb qal • Root קרא • Strongs / High • Page 1293

II. Properly to strike upon or hit against a thing; hence to meet, to happen, to befall (with a double accusative).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

קָרָא

verb • Page 593

I. to call. Subordinate significations include: (1) to call a person or thing; (2) to call out to any one (Is. 6:3); (3) to call on for help (Ps. 4:4); (4) to call together, an assembly (Joel 1:14); (5) to invite, bid (1 Sam. 9:13); (6) to announce, proclaim (Joel 4:9); (7) to celebrate, praise (Prov. 20:6); (8) to call, choose, appoint (Is. 42:6); (9) to invoke or praise the name of Jehovah (Gen. 4:26).

קָרָא

verb • Page 594

Continuation of previous entry: 2. to name; construed with an accus. of the name and a dative of the person or thing (Gen. 1:5, 4:26). 3. to read (Ex. 24:7, Deut. 17:19). Niph: 1. to be called (Jer. 44:26); 2. to be named (Gen. 2:23, 1 Sam. 9:9). Pu: 1. to be called (Ezek. 10:13); 2. to be named (Is. 48:12, 65:1).

קָרָא

verb • Root קרה • Page 594

II. i.q. קָרָה to meet or befal a person, spoken of an event or destiny (Gen. 49:1, 42:4). Infinitive לִקְרַאת used as a preposition meaning to meet (Gen. 46:29, Ex. 4:27) or over against (Gen. 15:10). Niph: to meet, spoken of persons (Ex. 5:3) or things (Deut. 22:6). Hiph: to cause to happen (Jer. 32:23).

Preposition, Verb Qal infinitive construct common

LXX: συνάντησιν ἀπαντὴν ἀπάντησιν ἐναντίασ αὐτοῖσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H7122:

συνάντησιν 43× (27.1%)

ἀπαντὴν 21× (13.3%)

ἀπάντησιν 19× (11.9%)

ἐναντίασ 8× (5.1%)

αὐτοῖσ 8× (4.2%)

ἡμῖν 6× (3.2%)

συνάντησίν 5× (3.2%)

ἀπαντήσει 3× (2.0%)

ἀπάντησίν 3× (1.9%)

αὐτῆσ 3× (1.6%)

מערכה מַעֲרָכָה׃

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מערכה

maʻărâkâh

Definition

an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array

Root

feminine of H4633 (מערך);

Exhaustive

feminine of מערך; an arrangement; concretely, a pile; specifically a military array; army, fight, be set in order, ordered place, rank, row.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4634

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מַעֲרָכָה

feminine noun • Root ערך • Strongs / High • Page 889

array, an army put in battle-array; an army generally. Also arrangement, setting forth, of the shew-bread, of the lambs, or of the wood on an altar.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מַעֲרָכָה

noun feminine • Root ערך • Page 395

1. an arranging, a setting in order. Ex. 39: 37; Judg. 6: 26; Gen. 22: 9. 2. order of battle, battle-array. 1 Sam. 4: 16; 17: 22, 48.

Noun common feminine singular absolute

LXX: '' παράταξιν παρατάξεωσ παρατάξει

LXX Usage Statistics

H4634:

'' 6× (29.3%)

παράταξιν 4× (21.3%)

παρατάξεωσ 3× (14.7%)

παρατάξει 2× (8.0%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And Israel will arrange, and the rovers, array to meet array.

LITV Translation:
And Israel and the Philistines set up in battle array for rank to meet rank.