וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֗ם וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ עַד־מָתַ֞י אַתֶּ֣ם פֹּסְחִים֮ עַל־שְׁתֵּ֣י הַסְּעִפִּים֒ אִם־יְהוָ֤ה הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְאִם־הַבַּ֖עַל לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־עָנ֥וּ הָעָ֛ם אֹתֹ֖ו דָּבָֽר׃
And Eliyahu approached all the people and said, “How long will you limp between two opinions? If YHWH is the God, go after Him; but if the Baʿal, go after him.” But the people did not answer him a word.
Morphology
- וַיִּגַּ֨שׁ (va-yiggash) – Root: נגשׁ (nagaš); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he approached”; Notes: Eliyahu draws near to confront the people.
- אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ (Eliyahu) – Root: אליהו (Eliyahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyahu”; Notes: Subject of the action.
- אֶל־כָּל־הָעָ֗ם (el-kol-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition + totality particle + definite noun; Translation: “to all the people”; Notes: Target of Eliyahu’s address.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Begins direct speech.
- עַד־מָתַ֞י (ʿad-matai) – Roots: עד (ʿad), מתי (matai); Form: Preposition + interrogative; Translation: “How long?”; Notes: Expresses frustration or rebuke.
- אַתֶּ֣ם (atem) – Root: אתם (ʾatem); Form: Independent pronoun 2mp; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphatic subject.
- פֹּסְחִים֮ (posḥim) – Root: פסח (pasah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “limping”; Notes: Suggests indecisive wavering or staggering.
- עַל־שְׁתֵּ֣י הַסְּעִפִּים֒ (ʿal-shtei ha-seʿippim) – Root: סעף (saʿaf); Form: Preposition + dual noun + definite article; Translation: “between two opinions”; Notes: Literally “branches”; metaphor for divided loyalties.
- אִם־יְהוָ֤ה (im-YHWH) – Root: אם (im), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Conditional + proper noun; Translation: “If YHWH”; Notes: Begins a challenge.
- הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (ha-Elohim) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Definite noun; Translation: “the God”; Notes: Identifies true deity.
- לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרָ֔יו (lechu aḥarav) – Root: הלך (halakh), אחר (aḥar); Form: Qal imperative 2mp + preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “go after Him”; Notes: Call to exclusive devotion.
- וְאִם־הַבַּ֖עַל (ve-im ha-Baʿal) – Root: בעל (Baʿal); Form: Conjunction + conditional + definite noun; Translation: “but if the Baʿal”; Notes: Alternative false deity.
- לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרָ֑יו (lechu aḥarav) – see above; Translation: “go after him”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- וְלֹֽא־עָנ֥וּ (ve-lo ʿanu) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Conjunction + negative + Qal perfect 3mp; Translation: “and they did not answer”; Notes: Describes the people’s silence.
- הָעָ֛ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (et); Form: Direct object marker + 3ms suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Eliyahu.
- דָּבָֽר (davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a word”; Notes: Indicates complete silence or refusal to respond.