1 Samuel 26:22

Paleo Hebrew Niqqud

RBT Hebrew Interlinear:

ויען וַיַּעַן

and he is eyeing

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

ענה

ʻânâh

Definition

properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce; give account, afflict (by mistake for ענה), (cause to, give) answer, bring low (by mistake for ענה), cry, hear, Leannoth, lift up, say, [idiom] scholar, (give a) shout, sing (together by course), speak, testify, utter, (bear) witness. See also בית ענות, בית ענת.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H6030

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עָנָה

verb • Root ענה • Strongs / High • Page 1110

To reply, answer, announce, reveal, declare, or make a judge's sentence; also, to procure, accomplish, hear, comply with, or sing (alternate song/choir); to begin to cry, shout, or speak; in judicial style, to testify, attest, bear witness.

עָנָה

verb qal / pih / hif • Root ענה • Strongs / High • Page 1111

I. To agree; (Pih.) to strike up, a singing match, to sing alternately; (Hif.) to grant. The fundamental significance is to turn, to wind, to turn back, applied to 1. Answering or replying. 2. Repeating, responding, or alternating. 3. Aiming at, intending. 4. Acting, carrying on, doing.

עָנָה

verb qal • Root ענה • Strongs / High • Page 1111

II. Intransitive: 1. To be low, sunk, of the ground. 2. Transferred to persons: to be bowed down, oppressed; to be suppressed, faint-hearted, dispirited, bowed, unfortunate, miserable; to be vexed, to be in toil. Figuratively: to be humble, piously-patient, meek, mild; to be miserable, suffering, unfortunate, helpless.

עָנָה

verb • Root ענה • Strongs / High • Page 1112

To press, enemies. (Hithp.) to be afflicted, to suffer, endure, to bow or submit oneself.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עָנָה

verb • Root ענה • Page 517

2. to suffer, to be bowed down or oppressed (Ps. 116:10, 119:67). Includes conjugations: Niph. (to be afflicted, Ps. 119:107), Pi. (to oppress, humble, or ravish a woman, Gen. 16:6, 34:2), Pu. (to be oppressed, Ps. 119:71), Hiph. (to humble, 1 K. 8:35), Hithpa. (to humble one's self, Gen. 16:9).

עָנָה

a proper verb • Page 516

I. 1. To answer. Construed with an accus. of the person (Job 1: 7) or an accus. of the thing (Job 40: 2). 2. To hear, liter. to answer a prayer, used particularly of God. 1 Sam. 9: 17. Ps. 3: 5. 3. To begin to speak, particularly in later Hebrew. Job 3: 2. 4. To give testimony, to testify. Gen. 30: 33. Ex. 20: 16. 5. To pass a sentence, responsum dare; spoken of a judge. Ex. 23: 2. 6. To cry, shout, for the onset or for victory. Ex. 32: 18. Jer. 51: 14. 7. To sing. Ex. 15: 21. Niph. 1. To be answered. Job 11: 2. 2. To be heard. Job 19: 7. Pi. i. q. Kal no. 7. to sing. Ex. 32: 18. Is. 27: 2.

עָנָה

a proper verb • Page 516

II. 1. To bestow labour or toil on any thing, to busy one's self therewith, construed with בְ. Citations: Ecc. 1: 14. 3: 10.

conjunctive, Verb Qal sequential imperfect third person masculine singular

LXX: ἀπεκρίθη ὑπολαβὼν ἀποκριθεὶσ ἀπεκρίθησαν ''

LXX Usage Statistics

H6030b:

ἀπεκρίθη 82× (21.0%)

ὑπολαβὼν 25× (7.2%)

ἀποκριθεὶσ 22× (6.0%)

ἀπεκρίθησαν 20× (5.2%)

'' 11× (2.7%)

ἐπάκουσόν 10× (2.8%)

---% 8× (1.9%)

--- 7× (2.0%)

εἰσάκουσόν 6× (1.7%)

ἐπακούσεται 6× (1.7%)

דוד דָּוִד

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%)

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

הנה הִנֵּה

Behold

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

הנה

hinnêh

Definition

lo!

Root

prolongation for H2005 (הן);

Exhaustive

prolongation for הן; lo!; behold, lo, see.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2009

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

הִנֵּה

adverb / interjection / demonstrative pronoun • Root הן • Consonantal / Medium • Page 408

A demonstrative particle, functioning as an adverb or interjection. Its primary meanings are there, here, behold!, lo!. It points to a definite existence or presence (e.g., 'is there', 'was there'), and is frequently used with suffixes (הִנְנִי, behold me; הִנְךָ, behold you). Before participles, it adds demonstrative liveliness. It can also function as a mere exclamation or mean 'if'.

Matched via consonantal key only

הֵנָּה

personal pronoun • Consonantal / Medium • Page 408

They (feminine). A 3rd person plural feminine personal pronoun. Related to הֵן I.

Matched via consonantal key only

הֵנָּה

adverb • Root הן • Consonantal / Medium • Page 408

An adverb of place and time. 1. hither, to this place, often used after verbs of motion or to add the idea of motion. Can also mean 'thus far' or 'of time till now'. 2. here, in this place.

Matched via consonantal key only

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

הִנֵּה

interjection • Page 191

see! behold! Very frequent. (Gen. 19:2; Dan. 12:5; 1 K. 20:40).

Particle interjection

LXX: ἰδοὺ --- ἰδού '' ἦν

LXX Usage Statistics

H2009:

ἰδοὺ 634× (73.5%)

--- 25× (3.1%)

ἰδού 14× (1.6%)

'' 12× (1.3%)

ἦν 9× (0.9%)

ἐστιν 8× (0.8%)

ὅτι 7× (0.9%)

ἰδου 7× (0.8%)

νῦν 6× (0.7%)

ὧδε 6× (0.7%)

החנית הַחֲנִית

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

חנית

chănîyth

Definition

a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a tent)

Root

from H2583 (חנה);

Exhaustive

lemma חנית second vowel, corrected to חנית; from חנה; a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a tent); javelin, spear.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H2595

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

חֲנִית

noun feminine • Root חנה • Strongs / High • Page 504

lance, spear, a weapon for piercing. Can refer to the entire weapon, the piercing point (cuspis), or the shaft.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

חֲנִית

noun feminine • Page 238

a dart, javelin, spear, lance. 1 Sam. 18:11, 19:10, 20:33.

Particle definite article, Noun common both singular construct

LXX: δόρυ δόρατοσ δόρατι ῥομφαίαν ὅπλων

LXX Usage Statistics

H2595:

δόρυ 22× (43.1%)

δόρατοσ 5× (10.2%)

δόρατι 5× (8.2%)

ῥομφαίαν 3× (6.1%)

ὅπλων 2× (4.5%)

dτοῦ 2× (4.5%)

ὅπλον 2× (4.5%)

'' 2× (3.8%)

המלך הַמֶּלֶךְ

the King

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

מלך

melek

Definition

a king

Root

from H4427 (מלך);

Exhaustive

from מלך; a king; king, royal.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H4428

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

מֶלֶךְ

masculine noun • Root מלך • Strongs / High • Page 859

A king, ruler; properly an abstract concept of rule or government, but commonly used concretely. It can refer to a king of a land, city, people, or tribe. The term is also applied to Jehovah, idols, and animals distinguished for strength. It can also mean an adviser or counsellor, and is used as a proper name.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

מֶלֶךְ

noun masculine • Page 380

a king. Ezek. 26: 7. 'the king of kings,' a title of the king of Babylon. Spoken frequently of Jehovah, Ps. 5: 3, and of false gods, Am. 5: 26.

Particle definite article, Noun common both singular absolute

LXX: βασιλεὺσ βασιλέωσ βασιλέα βασιλεῖ βασιλεῖσ

LXX Usage Statistics

H4428:

βασιλεὺσ 631× (23.4%)

βασιλέωσ 546× (20.5%)

βασιλέα 419× (15.7%)

βασιλεῖ 196× (7.1%)

βασιλεῖσ 133× (4.9%)

βασιλεύσ 100× (3.5%)

--- 77× (3.2%)

'' 66× (2.3%)

βασιλέων 63× (2.4%)

βασιλεῦσιν 46× (1.6%)

ויעבר וְיַעֲבֹר

and he is causing to cross over

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

עבר

ʻâbar

Definition

to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5674

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

עָבַר

verb • Root עבר • Strongs / High • Page 1046

I. Intransitive: properly to go over a standing place or resting point, to step beyond, to rove beyond, to go beyond. Hence to pass over (river, land, thing), to go through, to emigrate, to cross, to step over, to tread over. Figuratively: to transgress.

עָבַר

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1047

To pass, to go over, to cross, to go through, to penetrate; to go beyond, past (accus.); to be current (of money); to pass by; to go before; to travel; to pass away, to disappear (of times/things); to go over (to forgive); to go farther, to pass on/forward; to come through/under; to depart from (a commandment); to enter into (a covenant); to run into (danger); to follow; to come upon (assail, invade); to overflow, to inundate, to overwhelm; to transgress, to exceed; to flow out, to drop (in tears/liquids).

עָבַר

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1048

To pass over, through, or away; to cross. Metaphorically: to be agitated (of a stream); to be puffed up, haughty, overbearing, provoked, irritated.

עָבַר

verb • Strongs / High • Page 1048

II. Properly, to veil, to cover, to enwrap (Kal not used). Metaphorically: to copulate, to impregnate; intransitive: to be fructified (of corn/fruit); to be pregnant (of a woman).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

עָבַר

verb • Root עבר • Page 488

To pass, go on, or pass over. 1. to pass, go or pass on (Ps. 42:5, Am. 5:5). 2. to go or pass through a place (Judg. 11:29, Gen. 12:6). 3. to pass by (Gen. 37:23, 1 K. 9:8). 4. to pass over, e.g. a river (Gen. 31:21, Josh. 3:11). 5. to overflow, spoken of water or devastating armies (Is. 8:8, Nah. 1:8, Ps. 124:4). 6. to pass away, disappear, or perish (Gen. 18:5, Ps. 37:36). 7. to come on or upon any one, spoken of evil or jealousy (Num. 5:14, Nah. 3:19). 8. to drop, to ooze out (Cant. 5:5, 13). 9. causative as in Hiph.

עָבַר

verb • Page 489

To pass over, through, or by. Hiphil (הַעֲבִיר, הֶעֱבִיר): 1. To consecrate (Ex. 13:12). 2. To cause to pass, conduct (2 Sam. 19:16); to let one's voice go through (Ex. 36:6); to cause a trumpet to sound (Lev. 25:9). 3. To cause to pass by, to forgive sin (2 Sam. 12:13). 4. To carry over a river (Gen. 32:23); to remove/transfer (Gen. 47:21). 5. Metaphorically, to cause to transgress (1 Sam. 2:24). 6. To carry away (2 Chr. 35:23); to take away or remove (Jon. 3:6). Hithpael: 1. To be arrogant or haughty (Prov. 14:16). 2. To become angry or wroth (Ps. 78:21, 59).

Conjunction, Verb Qal third person masculine singular

LXX: διέβη --- παρελεύσεται διῆλθεν διῆλθον

LXX Usage Statistics

H5674a:

διέβη 21× (3.4%)

--- 18× (3.3%)

παρελεύσεται 16× (2.6%)

διῆλθεν 15× (2.6%)

διῆλθον 14× (2.4%)

διέβησαν 13× (2.1%)

παρῆλθεν 12× (2.1%)

διαβαίνετε 11× (2.0%)

παρελθεῖν 10× (1.8%)

παρήλθομεν 8× (1.4%)

אחד אֶחָד

one

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

אחד

ʼechâd

Definition

properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first

Root

a numeral from H258 (אחד);

Exhaustive

a numeral from אחד; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first; a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H259

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

אֶחָד

numeral cardinal • Root אחד • Strongs_Numbers • Page 95

One; unus; first (primus).

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

אֶחָד

m. const. • Page 37

1. one; freq. 2. first. Only in numbering the days of the month. (feminine form is אַחַת).

Noun common both singular absolute

LXX:

LXX Usage Statistics

H0259:

No stats available

מהנערים מֵהַנְּעָרים

None

STRONGS

Strong's Lexicon

מ

mi / min

Definition

from

Root

Abbreviated from H4480

Exhaustive

(mem) — from / out of

Core value: emergence, separation, derivation
מ does not merely indicate origin in time (“after”). It marks boundary-crossing:
- source,
- differentiation,
- contrast,
- extraction.
Aonically, מ indicates transition between states.
not “after X” but “out from within X.”
This is why מ can signal both cause and contrast: both involve standing on the far side of a boundary.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

ה

Definition

the

Root

Demonstrative primitive

Exhaustive

definite article, the, used for all numbers and genders; originally a pronoun demonstrative, this. interrogative particle in direct and indirect questions; in disjunctive questions: whether--or.

Source: The Aonic Nature of Biblical Hebrew Prepositions

נער

naʻar

Definition

(concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age)

Root

from H5287 (נער);

Exhaustive

from נער; (concretely) a boy (as active), from the age of infancy to adolescence; by implication, a servant; also (by interch. of sex), a girl (of similar latitude in age); babe, boy, child, damsel (from the margin), lad, servant, young (man).

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H5288

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

נֵעוֹר

nif. • Root עור • Consonantal / Low • Page 1070

To be bared, of a bow, by its being taken out of its case.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נַ֫עַר

noun / masculine • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 978

A newly born one, child, boy, youth, young man, servant, soldier; also used for a maiden. Can also mean one who is driven about or wandering (from נָעַר II).

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נֹ֫עַר

noun / masculine • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 978

Youth.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נִעֵר

verb • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 978

To drive about, to push about, to make restless; to thrust out, to drive out.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נָעַר

verb / intransitive • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 977

To roar, to growl, of the lion.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נָעַר

verb • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 978

To move to and fro, to shake, to cast, hence to thrust away, to displace; to shake off; to shake out; to drive or chase away.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

נָעַר

root • Root נער • Consonantal / Low • Page 978

A stem for נַ֫עַר and its derivatives, whose fundamental meaning is not clear. Suggested connections include roots meaning 'to sprout' or 'to grow'.

Matched after stripping common prefixes

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

נַעַר

m. dec. vi. c. prim. • Page 448

I. 1. a child, even a suckling. Ex. 2:6. Judg. 13:5, 7. 2. a young man, spoken e.g. of Joseph, Solomon, and four hundred young men. Gen. 37:2, 1 K. 3:7, 1 Sam. 30:17. 3. a servant, like παῖς, puer. 2 K. 5:20, 1 K. 20:15. Note: In the pentateuch, by a peculiar idiom, it is used for both puer and puella, hence instead of נַעֲרָה.

נַעַר

m. verbal from נָעַר no. i. • Root נער • Page 448

II. the wandering, straying, spoken of cattle. Zech. 11:16.

Prep-M, Particle definite article, Noun common masculine plural absolute

LXX: παιδάριον παιδάρια παιδαρίῳ παιδαρίου παιδαρίοισ

LXX Usage Statistics

H5288:

παιδάριον 77× (30.7%)

παιδάρια 18× (7.6%)

παιδαρίῳ 16× (6.3%)

παιδαρίου 12× (4.7%)

παιδαρίοισ 11× (4.3%)

παιδαρίων 11× (4.3%)

παιδίον 11× (4.3%)

νεώτεροσ 7× (3.2%)

παιδίου 6× (2.4%)

'' 6× (2.4%)

ויקחה וְיִקָּחֶהָ׃

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

לקח

lâqach

Definition

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

Root

a primitive root;

Exhaustive

a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H3947

ה

Definition

her, personal pronoun - verb/prep. 3rd person feminine singular

Root

Exhaustive

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance — H9034

Fürst

Fürst Lexicon

לָקַח

transitive verb • Root לקח • Strongs / High • Page 791

tr. to take, lay hold of, seize, with the hand; to catch; to take away from a thing.

לָקַח

verb • Root לקח • Strongs / High • Page 792

To take, take from; to take away, as prey, to kill; to conquer; to take along, lead; to procure, bring, fetch; to receive, accept, obtain; to undertake; to buy.

Gesenius

Gesenius Lexicon

לָקַח

verb • Page 348

1. to take (often pleonastically). Gen. 12:5. 2. to seize or lay hold of. Ezek. 8:3. 3. to take away. Gen. 4:12. 4. to take, capture, occupare. Num. 21:25. 5. to receive, obtain, acquire. Num. 23:20. 6. to admit, take up, receive. Prov. 2:1.

Conjunction, Verb Qal third person masculine singular, Suffix pronominal third person feminine singular

LXX: ἔλαβεν λαβὲ λήμψῃ ἔλαβον λήμψεται

LXX Usage Statistics

H3947:

ἔλαβεν 254× (24.8%)

λαβὲ 73× (7.8%)

λήμψῃ 57× (5.7%)

ἔλαβον 57× (5.7%)

λήμψεται 50× (5.1%)

λαβεῖν 32× (3.4%)

λήμψονται 30× (3.0%)

λαβὼν 28× (2.7%)

λάβετε 25× (2.7%)

λήμψομαι 21× (2.1%)

RBT Translation:

No verse found

RBT Paraphrase:
No verse found

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
And David will answer and say, Behold the king's spear: and will one of the boys pass over and take it?

LITV Translation:
And David answered and said, Behold, the king's spear! And let one of the young men cross over and receive it.

Brenton Septuagint Translation:
And David answered and said, Behold, the spear of the king: let one of the servants come over and take it.