Judges 19:8

Authorized King James Version

And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart: and the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֨ם
And he arose early
literally, to load up (on the back of man or beast), i.e., to start early in the morning
#2
בַּבֹּ֜קֶר
in the morning
properly, dawn (as the break of day); generally, morning
#3
הַיּ֑וֹם
day
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
#4
הַֽחֲמִישִׁי֮
on the fifth
fifth; also a fifth
#5
לָלֶכֶת֒
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
#6
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀
said
to say (used with great latitude)
#7
אֲבִ֣י
H1
father
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
#8
הַֽנַּעֲרָ֗ה
and the damsel's
a girl (from infancy to adolescence)
#9
סְעָד
Comfort
to support (mostly figurative)
#10
נָא֙
'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
#11
לְבָ֣בְךָ֔
thine heart
the heart (as the most interior organ)
#12
וְהִֽתְמַהְמְה֖וּ
I pray thee And they tarried
properly, to question or hesitate, i.e., (by implication) to be reluctant
#13
עַד
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
#14
נְט֣וֹת
until afternoon
to stretch or spread out; by implication, to bend away (including moral deflection); used in a great variety of application (as follows)
#15
הַיּ֑וֹם
day
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
#16
וַיֹּֽאכְל֖וּ
and they did eat
to eat (literally or figuratively)
#17
שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
both
two; also (as ordinal) twofold

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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