וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חַי־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אִם־יֶשׁ־לִ֣י מָעֹ֔וג כִּ֣י אִם־מְלֹ֤א כַף־קֶ֨מַח֙ בַּכַּ֔ד וּמְעַט־שֶׁ֖מֶן בַּצַּפָּ֑חַת וְהִנְנִ֨י מְקֹשֶׁ֜שֶׁת שְׁנַ֣יִם עֵצִ֗ים וּבָ֨אתִי֙ וַעֲשִׂיתִ֨יהוּ֙ לִ֣י וְלִבְנִ֔י וַאֲכַלְנֻ֖הוּ וָמָֽתְנוּ׃
And she said, “As YHWH your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in the jar and a little oil in the jug. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, and I shall go and prepare it for me and for my son, that we may eat it and die.”
Morphology
- וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3fs; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech of the widow.
- חַי־יְהוָ֤ה (ḥai-YHWH) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Oath formula + proper noun; Translation: “As YHWH lives”; Notes: Solemn oath or declaration.
- אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ (ʾElohekha) – Root: אלה (ʾelohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural + 2ms suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Addressed to Eliyahu.
- אִם־יֶשׁ־לִ֣י (im-yesh-li) – Root: ישׁ (yesh); Form: Conditional particle + existential + 1cs suffix; Translation: “if I have”; Notes: Negated oath, equivalent to “I do not have.”
- מָעֹ֔וג (maʿog) – Root: עוג (ʿug); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a cake” or “something baked”; Notes: She denies having any prepared food.
- כִּ֣י אִם־ (ki im) – Root: כי (ki), אם (im); Form: Conjunction + conditional; Translation: “except”; Notes: Restricts what follows.
- מְלֹ֤א כַף־קֶ֨מַח֙ (melo kaf-qemaḥ) – Root: מלא (male), כף (kaf), קמח (qemaḥ); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “a handful of flour”; Notes: Small quantity indicating poverty.
- בַּכַּ֔ד (ba-kad) – Root: כד (kad); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “in the jar”; Notes: Container for flour.
- וּמְעַט־שֶׁ֖מֶן (u-meʿat-shemen) – Root: מעט (meʿat), שמן (shemen); Form: Conjunction + construct; Translation: “and a little oil”; Notes: Again emphasizes scarcity.
- בַּצַּפָּ֑חַת (ba-tsapaḥat) – Root: צפחת (tsapaḥat); Form: Preposition + definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “in the jug”; Notes: Vessel for oil.
- וְהִנְנִ֨י (ve-hineni) – Root: נה (hinneh); Form: Interjection + 1cs suffix; Translation: “and behold, I”; Notes: Emphasizes her current action.
- מְקֹשֶׁ֜שֶׁת (mekosheshet) – Root: קשש (qashash); Form: Piel participle feminine singular; Translation: “gathering”; Notes: Indicates her activity.
- שְׁנַ֣יִם עֵצִ֗ים (shenayim ʿetsim) – Root: שנים (shenayim), עץ (ʿets); Form: Numeral + plural noun; Translation: “two sticks”; Notes: Minimal amount for a small fire.
- וּבָ֨אתִי (u-vaʾti) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal perfect 1cs with waw; Translation: “and I shall go”; Notes: Part of her plan.
- וַעֲשִׂיתִ֨יהוּ (va-ʿasiti-hu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 1cs + 3ms suffix; Translation: “and I shall make it”; Notes: Refers to the flour and oil preparation.
- לִ֣י וְלִבְנִ֔י (li u-li-vni) – Root: לי (li), בן (ben); Form: Preposition + 1cs and construct + 1cs suffix; Translation: “for me and for my son”; Notes: Shows care and shared fate.
- וַאֲכַלְנֻ֖הוּ (va-akhalnu-hu) – Root: אכל (akhal); Form: Qal perfect 1cp + 3ms suffix; Translation: “and we shall eat it”; Notes: Statement of intent.
- וָמָֽתְנוּ (va-matnu) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal perfect 1cp; Translation: “and we shall die”; Notes: Expresses expectation of death from starvation.