Tag Archives: 1 Samuel

“Good of Understanding and Beautiful in Appearance”: Construct Chains and Characterization in 1 Samuel 25:3

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
Introduction to 1 Samuel 25:3: Grammar as Narrative Theology 1 Samuel 25:3 introduces two central characters in vivid poetic prose: נָבָל and אֲבִיגָיִל. While this verse appears to simply give names and qualities, it uses construct chains, adjective-noun alignment, and pragmatic word order to communicate deep insights into personality, morality, and spiritual posture. This analysis explores the syntax and morphology of these descriptions to uncover how Hebrew grammar shapes character portrayal in biblical narrative. וְשֵׁ֤ם הָאִישׁ֙ נָבָ֔ל וְשֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ אֲבִגָ֑יִל וְהָאִשָּׁ֤ה טֽוֹבַת־שֶׂ֨כֶל֙ וִ֣יפַת תֹּ֔אַר וְהָאִ֥ישׁ קָשֶׁ֛ה וְרַ֥ע מַעֲלָלִ֖ים וְה֥וּא כָלִבִּֽי׃ This article analyzes 1 Samuel 25:3, focusing on the construct chain and adjective-noun coordination in the character descriptions of Nabal and Avigayil.… Learn Hebrew
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The Idiomatic Expression וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו (“His Spirit Returned to Him”) in 1 Samuel 30:12

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Biblical Hebrew
Introduction to 1 Samuel 30:12 1 Samuel 30:12 describes an Egyptian servant found in a weakened state by David’s men, who is then revived with food and water. The key phrase וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּחֹ֖ו אֵלָ֑יו (“his spirit returned to him”) is an idiom that expresses recovery from extreme exhaustion, distress, or near-death experiences. This verse consists of: The provision of food: פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֤י צִמֻּקִים (“a piece of pressed fig and two cakes of raisins”). The action of eating: וַיֹּ֔אכַל (“and he ate”), which initiates his recovery.… Learn Hebrew
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