וַיְהִי֙ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה הָיָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לֵ֚ךְ הֵרָאֵ֣ה אֶל־אַחְאָ֔ב וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה מָטָ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
And it came to pass after many days that the word of YHWH came to Eliyahu in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Aḥʾav, and I will give rain upon the face of the earth.”
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֙ (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative transition formula.
- יָמִ֣ים (yamim) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “days”; Notes: Refers to an extended passage of time.
- רַבִּ֔ים (rabbim) – Root: רבב (rav); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Modifies “days.”
- וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה (u-dvar YHWH) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Conjunction + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “and the word of YHWH”; Notes: Introduces divine speech.
- הָיָה֙ (hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “was”; Notes: Marks the coming of prophetic communication.
- אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ (el-Eliyahu) – Root: אל (ʾel), אליהו (Eliyahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Eliyahu”; Notes: Identifies the recipient of God’s word.
- בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה (ba-shanah) – Root: שנה (shanah); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “in the year”; Notes: Sets the time frame.
- הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית (ha-shelishit) – Root: שלש (shalosh); Form: Ordinal number, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “the third”; Notes: Refers to the third year of drought.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Standard formula introducing divine speech.
- לֵ֚ךְ (lekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Divine command to Eliyahu.
- הֵרָאֵ֣ה (heraʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Niphal imperative 2ms; Translation: “show yourself”; Notes: Passive/reflexive instruction to appear before Aḥʾav.
- אֶל־אַחְאָ֔ב (el-Aḥʾav) – Root: אחאב (Aḥʾav); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Aḥʾav”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel.
- וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה (ve-ettĕnah) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal cohortative 1cs; Translation: “and I will give”; Notes: Expresses divine intention or promise.
- מָטָ֖ר (matar) – Root: מטר (matar); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “rain”; Notes: Refers to divine provision and relief from drought.
- עַל־פְּנֵ֥י (ʿal-penei) – Root: פנה (paneh); Form: Preposition + construct noun; Translation: “upon the face of”; Notes: Biblical idiom for “upon.”
- הָאֲדָמָֽה (ha-adamah) – Root: אדם (ʾadam); Form: Definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the ground”; Notes: Refers to the earth or soil of the land.