1 Samuel 20:4

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ויאמר וַיֹּאמֶר

and he is saying

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

אמר

ʼâmar

Definition

to say (used with great latitude)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H559

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Strongs_Numbers • Page 155

1. (not used) to stand prominently upwards, to project upwards, hence to be elevated. 2. to say, to speak, to command; to press out sounds from within.

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Strongs_Numbers • Page 755

to say, speak

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Page 58

1. to say (dico). Differs from דבר (to speak) in that אָמַר is almost uniformly followed by the words spoken (Lev. 1:2; Gen. 44:16). 2. to think. (Speaking and thinking).

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Page 59

To command (Est 1:17, 1 Chr 21:17); to praise (Ps 40:11). Niph.: to be said, to be called holy (Is 4:3). Hiph.: to declare solemnly, to promise (Deut 26:17, 18). Hithpa.: to boast one's self (Ps 94:4), or to exercise dominion.

conjunctive, Verb Qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0559:

No stats available

יהונתן יְהוֹנָתָן

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

יהונתן

Yᵉhôwnâthân

Definition

Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites

Root

from H3068 (יהוה) and H5414 (נתן); Jehovah-given;

Exhaustive

from יהוה and נתן; Jehovah-given; Jehonathan, the name of four Israelites; Jonathan. Compare יונתן.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3083

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

יְהוֹנָתָן

proper noun / masculine • Root נתן • Strongs / High • Page 592

A proper name meaning 'Yehô is giver'. It is interchanged with the more common form יוֹנָתָן (Jonathan).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

יְהוֹנָתָן

noun masculine • Page 276

and יוֹנָתָן (Jehovah gives) Jonathan, the son of Saul, celebrated for his heroic friendship towards David, 1 Sam. xiii.—xxxi. Also the name of several other persons.

Noun proper name masculine

LXX: ιωναθαν ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H3083:

ιωναθαν 75× (92.1%)

'' 4× (4.4%)

אל אֶל־

toward

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אל

ʼêl

Definition

near, with or among; often in general, to

Root

(but only used in the shortened constructive form אל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.

Exhaustive

(but only used in the shortened constructive form אל ); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e.; near, with or among; often in general, to; about, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H413

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֵל

pronominal stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

Aramaic demonstrative pronoun, same as Hebrew II. in a variety of senses.

אֵל

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

God (used in proper names like טָבְאֵל).

אֵל

noun • Strongs_Numbers • Page 127

Used as a groundform for אַלִי.

אֵל

pronoun demonstrative • Root אלה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

Pronominal stem abridged from 'ela, a demonstrative vocable. Demonstrative pronoun plural 'these'. A stronger form than 'ela, namely 'elle. Often found with the article הָאֵל (these).

אֵל

pronoun • Root אלה • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

Aramaic equivalent to the Hebrew אֵל II. Found only in Ezr. 5, 15 K'ri, for which the K'tib has אֵלֶּה synonymous with the Targumic אִלֵּךְ.

אֵל

noun masculine • Root איל אול • Strongs_Numbers • Page 129

A very old Semitic name of the highest deity, which already appears in the pre-historic period: God. Stands both for the God of the Hebrews (Jehovah), gods of another nation, or idols. Also means 'strong' or 'mighty'.

אֵל

noun masculine • Strongs_Numbers • Page 130

God, Deity; applied to the true God, pagan gods, or in proper names. Also denotes strength, might, or power (e.g., in the phrase 'it is in the power of my hand').

אֵל

pronom. stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

Collateral form of pronoun demonstrative אֵל (these).

אֵל

pronom. stem • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

Construct of אֶל I. (preposition 'to', 'towards').

אֵל

abbreviation • Strongs_Numbers • Page 131

An abbreviation of God in proper names, e.g. אֶלְעָלָא, אֶלְזָבָד.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶל

chald. • Page 49

Chald. idem. [to Hebrew אַל]. Dan. 2: 24.

אֶל

preposition • Page 50

Primary preposition meaning: 1. to (sign of the dative); 2. towards, even to (Num. 24:1); 3. at, on, near (1 K. 13:20); 4. about, concerning (Gen. 20:2); 5. in, into (Gen. 8:9); 6. among (1 Sam. 10:22); 7. through (Ezek. 44:7); 8. for, on account of (1 K. 14:5); 9. in combination with other prepositions implies direction.

אֵל

m. verbal / dec. i. a. • Root אול • Page 49

1. strong, mighty (Ezek. 31:11). 2. strength, power (Gen. 31:29; Prov. 3:27). 3. most frequently God, applied both to Jehovah and heathen gods (Is. 44:10).

אֵל

pronoun • Page 49

pronoun plural; i. q. אֵלֶּה [these]. Also appears in the form הָאֵל.

אֵל

chald. • Page 50

Chald. idem. Ezra 5:15 Keri.

Preposition

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0413:

No stats available

דוד דָּוד

David

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

דוד

Dâvid

Definition

David, the youngest son of Jesse

Root

rarely (fully); דויד; from the same as H1730 (דוד); loving;

Exhaustive

rarely (fully); דויד; from the same as דוד; loving; David, the youngest son of Jesse; David.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H1732

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

דָּוִד

proper noun • Root דוד • Strongs / High • Page 358

Proper noun of the famous Israelite king, founder of a dynasty (1055-1015 B.C.) and chief composer of the Psalter. Meaning loving, joiner, or beloved.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

דָּוִד

noun masculine • Root , דוד • Page 158

David, son of Jesse, king of Israel. 1 Sam. xvi. ff. 2 Sam. 1 Chr. xii.-xxx. Zion, 1 K. 3:1. The posterity of David, the royal family, Is. 7:2, 13.

Noun proper name masculine

LXX: δαυιδ '' --- ὡσ αὐτοῦ

LXX Usage Statistics

H1732:

δαυιδ 966× (90.3%)

'' 45× (3.7%)

--- 28× (2.7%)

ὡσ 9× (0.9%)

αὐτοῦ 2× (0.2%)

ψαλμὸσ 2× (0.2%)

βασιλεὺσ 2× (0.2%)

βασιλεῖ 2× (0.2%)

מה מַה־

what/why/how!

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מה

mâh

Definition

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses

Root

or מה; or מ; or מ; also מה; a primitive particle;

Exhaustive

or מה; or מ; or מ; also מה; a primitive particle; properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses; how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4100

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מָה

interrogative pronoun • Root מה • Strongs / High • Page 815

An interrogative pronoun, meaning 'what?'. It has various applications, including direct and indirect questions, functioning as a substantive ('what of...'), expressing quality ('what kind of...'), conveying reproach or negation, serving as an exclamation of wonder ('how...!'), and meaning 'whatever' or 'why'.

מָה

interrogative pronoun / adverb • Strongs / High • Page 816

An interrogative pronoun and adverb with various meanings including: what?, why?, how?, in what way?

מָה

interrogative pronoun • Strongs / High • Page 817

how what! = but how! how great! An interrogative pronoun, what? Also signifies 'on account of that, for that'.

מָה

aramaic pronoun (aramaic) • Strongs / High • Page 817

Aramaic interrogative pronoun, same as Hebrew. what? whatever, quidquid.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מָה

interrog. pron. / particle • Page 358

1. what? spoken of things (Judg. 11:12; 2 Sam. 16:10, 19:23; Jer. 2:18; Hos. 14:9). 2. without an interrogation, what, whatever, something, any thing (Prov. 9:13; 2 Sam. 18:23; Job 13:13, 14; Ecc. 1:9, 3:15, 22:6; Dan. 10:10 (Aram.)). 3. before substantives, what, of what sort, qualis (Josh. 22:16; 1 Sam. 28:14; 1 K. 9:13). 4. how? (Gen. 44:16; Ex. 10:26; Gen. 28:17). 5. wherefore? (Judg. 8:1; Ps. 42:12). 6. not (Cant. 8:4; Job 16:6, 31:1, 20, 24).

מָה

interrog. pron. • Page 358

Chald. what, as in Heb. with and without an interrogation. מָה דִי that which (Dan. 2:28). Combined with prepositions: (1.) כְּמָה how, how very (Dan. 3:33). (2.) לְמָה דִי lest, that not (Ezra 4:22, 7:23).

Pronoun interrogative

LXX: τί τίσ τίνι ἐστιν ὡσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H4100:

τί 516× (62.9%)

τίσ 44× (5.6%)

τίνι 29× (3.2%)

ἐστιν 24× (2.6%)

ὡσ 14× (1.8%)

'' 13× (1.4%)

---% 11× (1.1%)

τίνοσ 11× (1.3%)

τι 10× (1.1%)

--- 10× (1.3%)

תאמר תֹּאמַר

you/she is speaking

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אמר

ʼâmar

Definition

to say (used with great latitude)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H559

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Strongs_Numbers • Page 155

1. (not used) to stand prominently upwards, to project upwards, hence to be elevated. 2. to say, to speak, to command; to press out sounds from within.

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Strongs_Numbers • Page 755

to say, speak

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Page 58

1. to say (dico). Differs from דבר (to speak) in that אָמַר is almost uniformly followed by the words spoken (Lev. 1:2; Gen. 44:16). 2. to think. (Speaking and thinking).

אָמַר

verb • Root אמר • Page 59

To command (Est 1:17, 1 Chr 21:17); to praise (Ps 40:11). Niph.: to be said, to be called holy (Is 4:3). Hiph.: to declare solemnly, to promise (Deut 26:17, 18). Hithpa.: to boast one's self (Ps 94:4), or to exercise dominion.

Verb Qal imperfect third person feminine singular

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0559:

No stats available

נפשך נַפְשְׁךָ

the soul of yourself

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

נפש

nephesh

Definition

properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)

Root

from H5314 (נפש);

Exhaustive

from נפש; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5315

ך

Definition

your, personal posessive - noun suffix: 2nd person masculine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal posessive pronoun - suffix for nouns, adjectives and passive participles: 2nd person masculine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9021

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

נֶפֶשׁ

noun / feminine • Root נפש • Strongs / High • Page 982

A breath, respiration. 1. Breath of life, vital power, life, the animal life. 2. The soul or spirit, which gives life and has needs and feelings. 3. A living being, a creature, an individual, a person, a slave, a corpse. 4. Self, used reflexively. Also used to denote the seat of affections like love, joy, fear, piety, courage, and as the seat of various states like lamentation, hunger, thirst, etc.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

נֶפֶשׁ

com. gen. but more frequently fem. • Root נפש • Page 451

1. breath (Job 41:13); 2. life, the vital principle in animal bodies, anima (Gen. 35:18, 1 K. 17:21); 3. a living being, particularly spoken of men and sometimes slaves (Josh. 10:28, Gen. 1:20, 12:5); 4. the soul, spirit, as the seat of the volitions and affections (Deut. 26:16, Cant. 1:7); 5. desire, including the desire of eating or hunger (Gen. 23:8, Prov. 6:30, 13:4); 6. scent, fragrancy, odour (Is. 3:20).

Noun common both singular construct, Suffix pronominal second person masculine singular

LXX: ψυχή ψυχήν ψυχὴν ψυχὴ ψυχῆσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H5315:

ψυχή 126× (15.5%)

ψυχήν 119× (14.6%)

ψυχὴν 89× (11.4%)

ψυχὴ 88× (10.9%)

ψυχῆσ 82× (10.3%)

ψυχῇ 55× (6.9%)

ψυχὰσ 38× (4.8%)

ψυχαὶ 21× (2.8%)

ψυχαῖσ 17× (2.1%)

'' 15× (1.9%)

ואעשה וְאֶעֱשֶׂה־

None

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

עשה

ʻâsâh

Definition

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6213

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עָשָׂה

verb • Root עשה • Strongs / High • Page 755

to make for

עָשָׂה

verb • Root עשה • Strongs / High • Page 1140

1. To do, to make, to form, to construct (e.g., an ark, altar, garments); to build up, to establish, to create. 2. To acquire (by labor); to make or procure a name (fame); to make money; to bring, to make (i.e., to be of use). Also, to prepare (food, sacrifice); to offer; to appoint, constitute to an office. 3. Metaphorically, to keep, to celebrate (a feast, e.g., Sabbath, Passover); to live through or spend the time of life; to perform, to practise, observe, to consider. 4. To do, generally without an object (good or evil); to deal with, execute upon. 5. Altogether generally to act, the interpretation being drawn from the context; to act considerately or falsely.

עָשָׂה

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1141

To do, to make, to prepare, to work, to act, to perform, to effect. Also: to bring forth, to beget; to give milk; to bear fruit; to put forth shoots; to be made, created, sacrificed, executed; to be committed (a crime); to be celebrated (a festival); to happen, to become. (Includes Nif. passive, Pih. to press/squeeze, Puh. to be made/created).

עָשָׂה

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1141

(unused) intr. to be shaggy, rough, rough-haired, of men; probably also of a rough, rugged forest-mountain.

עָשָׂה

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1139

(I) tr. 1. To feel, to touch. 2. To labour = to do; to work; to create (of God); to accomplish; to execute (a vow or wrath); to make, to form, fabricari.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עָשַׂה

ii. in kal • Page 531

to press, squeeze, (the breast.) Ezekiel 23:21. (Chald. עֲשָׁא idem.)

עָשָׂה

verb • Root עשה • Page 530

To make, do, act. Extensive entry covering various nuances: 1. to make/do (Gen. 1:7); 2. to labour (Ex. 5:9); 3. to execute or accomplish (Ps. 37:5); 4. to prepare or dress food (Gen. 18:7); 5. to make or acquire riches (Gen. 31:1); 6. to pass or spend time (Ecc. 6:12); 7. to keep one's self or abide (Ruth 2:19); 8. to produce or bear fruit (Gen. 1:11); 9. to offer or present (Ex. 10:25); 10. to appoint to an office (1 Sam. 12:6); 11. to celebrate or keep a festival (Ex. 12:48).

עָשָׂה

verb • Page 532

1. to labour, fabricari. 2. to be made smooth or polished, to be bright, to shine. Jer. 5: 28. Hithpa. to think or be mindful of any one. Jon. 1: 6.

Conjunction, Verb Qal first person common singular

LXX: ἐποίησεν ποιήσεισ ἐποίησαν ποιῆσαι ποιήσω

LXX Usage Statistics

H6213a:

ἐποίησεν 538× (20.3%)

ποιήσεισ 196× (7.3%)

ἐποίησαν 191× (7.2%)

ποιῆσαι 141× (5.2%)

ποιήσω 113× (4.3%)

ποιήσει 111× (4.2%)

'' 86× (2.9%)

ἐποίησασ 82× (3.2%)

ποιεῖν 79× (2.9%)

ποιήσετε 76× (2.9%)

לךפ לָּךְ׃פ

None

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

ך

Definition

you, personal pronoun - verb/prep. 2nd person feminine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person feminine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9032

Preposition -For/Into Art, Suffix pronominal second person masculine singular

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And Jonathan will say to David, What thy soul will say, and I will do for thee.

LITV Translation:
And Jonathan said to David, What your soul may say, I also will do for you.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And Jonathan said to David, What does thy soul desire, and what shall I do for thee?