וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ לֵ֤ךְ בָּאָ֨רֶץ֙ אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים אוּלַ֣י נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּס וָפֶ֔רֶד וְלֹ֥וא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃
And Aḥʾav said to ʿOvadyahu, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the wadis. Perhaps we may find grass and keep alive horse and mule, and not lose any of the livestock.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces speech from Aḥʾav.
- אַחְאָב֙ (Aḥʾav) – Root: אחאב (Aḥʾav); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Aḥʾav”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ (el-ʿOvadyahu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad), יהו (Yahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to ʿOvadyahu”; Notes: The recipient of the command.
- לֵ֤ךְ (lekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Direct command from Aḥʾav.
- בָּאָ֨רֶץ֙ (ba-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “through the land”; Notes: Refers to the territory under their control.
- אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם (el-kol-maʿyene ha-mayim) – Root: מעין (maʿyan), מים (mayim); Form: Preposition + construct plural noun + definite noun; Translation: “to all the springs of water”; Notes: Source of natural water supply.
- וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים (ve-el kol ha-neḥalim) – Root: נחל (naḥal); Form: Conjunction + preposition + construct plural + definite noun; Translation: “and to all the wadis”; Notes: Seasonal streams or riverbeds.
- אוּלַ֣י (ʾulai) – Root: אולי (ʾulai); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Expresses uncertainty and hope.
- נִמְצָ֣א (nimtsa) – Root: מצא (matsa); Form: Nifal imperfect 1cp or jussive; Translation: “we may find”; Notes: Passive voice indicating possibility.
- חָצִ֗יר (ḥatsir) – Root: חציר (ḥatsir); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “grass”; Notes: For feeding the animals.
- וּנְחַיֶּה֙ (u-neḥayyeh) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Piel imperfect 1cp; Translation: “and we may keep alive”; Notes: Purpose of finding the grass.
- ס֣וּס וָפֶ֔רֶד (sus va-fered) – Root: סוס (sus), פרד (pered); Form: Coordinated nouns; Translation: “horse and mule”; Notes: Draft and riding animals essential for transportation and labor.
- וְלֹ֥וא נַכְרִ֖ית (ve-lo nakhrit) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Conjunction + negative + Hifil imperfect 1cp; Translation: “and let us not cut off / lose”; Notes: Expresses fear of livestock dying.
- מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה (me-ha-behemah) – Root: בהמה (behemah); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “from the livestock”; Notes: Refers to all domesticated animals in their possession.