וּקְרָאתֶ֞ם בְּשֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶקְרָ֣א בְשֵׁם־יְהוָ֔ה וְהָיָ֧ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶ֥ה בָאֵ֖שׁ ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיַּ֧עַן כָּל־הָעָ֛ם וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ טֹ֥וב הַדָּבָֽר׃
And you shall call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of YHWH. And it shall be, the God who answers with fire, He is the God.” And all the people answered and said, “The word is good.”
Morphology
- וּקְרָאתֶ֞ם (u-qeraʾtem) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal perfect 2mp with vav; Translation: “And you shall call”; Notes: Instruction to the people or prophets of Baʿal.
- בְּשֵׁ֣ם (be-shem) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “on the name of”; Notes: Denotes invocation.
- אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם (Eloheikhem) – Root: אלה (ʾeloha); Form: Plural noun + 2mp suffix; Translation: “your god(s)”; Notes: Addressed to Baʿal’s prophets.
- וַֽאֲנִי֙ (va-ʾani) – Root: אני (ʾani); Form: Conjunction + independent pronoun 1cs; Translation: “and I”; Notes: Contrasts Eliyahu’s own action.
- אֶקְרָ֣א (eqra) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal imperfect 1cs; Translation: “I will call”; Notes: Eliyahu’s invocation of YHWH.
- בְשֵׁם־יְהוָ֔ה (be-shem YHWH) – Root: שם (shem), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “on the name of YHWH”; Notes: Invocation of the true God.
- וְהָיָ֧ה (ve-hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3ms with vav; Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces result clause.
- הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים (ha-Elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloha); Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “the God”; Notes: Refers to the true deity regardless of number.
- אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲנֶ֥ה (asher-yaʿaneh) – Roots: אשר (ʾasher), ענה (ʿanah); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “who answers”; Notes: Defines the true God.
- בָאֵ֖שׁ (va-ʾesh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “with fire”; Notes: Sign of divine response.
- ה֣וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים (hu ha-Elohim) – Root: הוא (hu), אלה (ʾeloha); Form: Pronoun + definite noun; Translation: “He is the God”; Notes: Conclusive declaration.
- וַיַּ֧עַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Refers to the people.
- כָּל־הָעָ֛ם (kol-ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Totality particle + definite noun; Translation: “all the people”; Notes: Unified response.
- וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Continuation of people’s response.
- טֹ֥וב הַדָּבָֽר (tov ha-davar) – Root: טוב (tov), דבר (davar); Form: Adjective + definite noun; Translation: “The word is good”; Notes: They agree with Eliyahu’s proposal.