וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲנְשֵׁי בֵית־שֶׁמֶשׁ מִי יוּכַל לַעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי יְהוָה הָאֱלֹהִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַזֶּה וְאֶל־מִי יַעֲלֶה מֵעָלֵינוּ׃
And the men of Beit-Shemesh said who is able to stand before YHWH the holy God and to whom shall He go up from upon us (1 Samuel 6:20)
Introduction: Verbs at the Threshold of Holiness
When the ark of YHWH returns to Beit-Shemesh, it is not a joyful moment—it becomes terrifying. After YHWH strikes down many of the people, a desperate question erupts: Who can even stand before this holy God? The two key verbs—יוּכַל (“is able”) and יַעֲלֶה (“will go up”)—carry the weight of fear, holiness, and the limits of human access to divinity. This article explores how their binyanim subtly shape the emotional force of this verse and the theology behind it.
Verb-by-Verb Breakdown
1. יוּכַל — Is able
- Root: י־כ־ל (“to be able, to have power”)
- Binyan: Qal (imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Morphological Note: Irregular verb with root-initial י, forms with a vav-shureq vowel pattern for modal meaning: “can,” “is able to”
- Function: Expresses ability or capacity in the present/future: “who can stand…”
- Voice: Active
- Syntactic Role: Used interrogatively with מִי (“who”) as the subject and לַעֲמֹד as the infinitive complement
- Stylistic Insight: The Qal here is lean and modal—perfect for expressing potential (or lack thereof) in a reverent question. A more intensive binyan would make the question feel exaggerated; Qal delivers raw fear plainly.
2. לַעֲמֹד — To stand
- Root: ע־מ־ד (“to stand”)
- Binyan: Qal (infinitive construct)
- Function: Completes the modal phrase begun by יוּכַל — “who is able to stand”
- Semantic Force: “Standing before YHWH” signals readiness, purity, fitness. The Qal keeps this expression stark and evocative—it’s not about causing others to stand, but one’s own ability to remain upright in divine presence.
- Literary Echo: Throughout Tanakh, this phrase is used for priests, prophets, or kings. Here, the common people realize they fall short of that status. Qal here intensifies the raw gap between holiness and human frailty.
3. יַעֲלֶה — Will go up
- Root: ע־ל־ה (“to go up, ascend”)
- Binyan: Qal (imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular)
- Function: Future or jussive — “will go up,” “may He go up”
- Subject: Implied is “He” — referring to the ark/YHWH
- Voice: Active
- Syntactic Observation: Prepositional complement מֵעָלֵינוּ (“from upon us”) expresses removal or departure
- Theological Implication: In Qal, the action is simple yet profound—“go up” can signal pilgrimage, elevation, or divine withdrawal. Here, it carries irony: the people plead for the Holy One to depart for their own survival.
Contrast Table: Simplicity and Terror
| Verb | Root | Binyan | Form | Meaning | Emotional Tone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| יוּכַל | י־כ־ל | Qal | Imperfect | Is able | Desperation |
| לַעֲמֹד | ע־מ־ד | Qal | Infinitive | To stand | Reverent fear |
| יַעֲלֶה | ע־ל־ה | Qal | Imperfect | Will go up | Resigned terror |
When the Simple Stem Screams the Loudest
All three verbs in this verse use the Qal binyan. Normally described as the “simple” stem, here it conveys profound spiritual crisis with astonishing economy. The Qal strips away any performative grandeur. There’s no reflexivity (Hitpael), no causation (Hiphil), no intensity (Piel)—only stunned simplicity.
The men of Beit-Shemesh don’t try to theologize or bargain. Their question is raw and grammatical: Who can stand? Not “who can learn to stand” or “who will be made to stand”—but just stand. And the ark, so recently desired, must now go up—a verb of removal and elevation.
How the Binyan Leaves Us Silent
In this verse, Qal is not simple—it’s elemental. It communicates what fancy binyanim cannot: raw awe. The verbs don’t build a theology; they collapse one. And that collapse is the very grammar of holiness.
This is how binyanim, in their very voice, let us hear the echo of trembling hearts.
