וַ֠יִּקְחוּ אֶת־הַפָּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֣ן לָהֶם֮ וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֒ וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ בְשֵׁם־֠הַבַּעַל מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר וְעַד־הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם לֵאמֹר֙ הַבַּ֣עַל עֲנֵ֔נוּ וְאֵ֥ין קֹ֖ול וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃
And they took the bull that was given to them, and they prepared it. And they called on the name of the Baʿal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baʿal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no one answering. And they limped around the altar that had been made.
Morphology
- וַ֠יִּקְחוּ (va-yiqḥu) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “And they took”; Notes: Refers to the prophets of Baʿal.
- אֶת־הַפָּ֨ר (et-ha-par) – Root: פר (par); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the bull”; Notes: The sacrificial animal.
- אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֣ן לָהֶם (asher-natan lahem) – Roots: נתן (natan); Form: Relative clause + Qal perfect 3ms + preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “that was given to them”; Notes: From Eliyahu or the people.
- וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ (va-yaʿasu) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they prepared [it]”; Notes: Refers to the ritual arrangement.
- וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ (va-yiqreʾu) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they called”; Notes: Invoking Baʿal.
- בְשֵׁם־הַבַּעַל (be-shem ha-Baʿal) – Root: שם (shem), בעל (Baʿal); Form: Preposition + noun construct + definite proper noun; Translation: “on the name of the Baʿal”; Notes: Prayer directed to Baʿal.
- מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר וְעַד־הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם (me-ha-boqer ve-ʿad ha-tsahorayim) – Roots: בקר (boqer), צהר (tsahar); Form: Prepositions + nouns; Translation: “from morning until noon”; Notes: Duration of invocation.
- לֵאמֹר (lemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- הַבַּ֣עַל עֲנֵ֔נוּ (ha-Baʿal ʿanenu) – Roots: בעל (Baʿal), ענה (ʿanah); Form: Imperative masculine singular + 1cp suffix; Translation: “O Baʿal, answer us!”; Notes: Repetitive plea.
- וְאֵ֥ין קֹ֖ול (ve-ein qol) – Roots: אין (ʾein), קול (qol); Form: Negative particle + noun masculine singular; Translation: “but there was no voice”; Notes: Indicates silence.
- וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה (ve-ein ʿoneh) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Negative particle + masculine singular participle; Translation: “and no one answering”; Notes: Continues the silence motif.
- וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ (va-yefasseḥu) – Root: פסח (pasah); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they limped/danced”; Notes: Ritual movement, possibly frenzied or staggering.
- עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ (ʿal ha-mizbeaḥ) – Root: זבח (zavaḥ); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “around the altar”; Notes: Ritual area of offering.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה (asher ʿasah) – Roots: אשר (ʾasher), עשה (ʿasah); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “that he had made”; Notes: Refers either to Eliyahu or the Baʿal prophets’ altar.