וַיְהִ֤י עֹבַדְיָ֨הוּ֙ בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ לִקְרָאתֹ֑ו וַיַּכִּרֵ֨הוּ֙ וַיִּפֹּ֣ל עַל־פָּנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה אֲדֹנִ֥י אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
And ʿOvadyahu was on the way, and behold, Eliyahu met him. And he recognized him, and he fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Eliyahu?”
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֤י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative marker for a new event.
- עֹבַדְיָ֨הוּ (ʿOvadyahu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad) + יהו (Yahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿOvadyahu”; Notes: A righteous servant of YHWH in Aḥʾav’s household.
- בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ (ba-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Describes his location.
- וְהִנֵּ֥ה (ve-hinne) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Signals sudden or notable appearance.
- אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ (Eliyahu) – Root: אליהו (Eliyahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyahu”; Notes: Prophet of YHWH.
- לִקְרָאתֹ֑ו (liqratto) – Root: קרה (qara); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct + 3ms suffix; Translation: “to meet him”; Notes: Describes movement toward ʿOvadyahu.
- וַיַּכִּרֵ֨הוּ (va-yakkirehu) – Root: נכר (nakar); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3ms + 3ms suffix; Translation: “and he recognized him”; Notes: ʿOvadyahu identifies Eliyahu.
- וַיִּפֹּ֣ל (va-yippol) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he fell”; Notes: An act of reverence or humility.
- עַל־פָּנָ֔יו (ʿal-panav) – Root: פנה (paneh); Form: Preposition + plural noun + 3ms suffix; Translation: “on his face”; Notes: Typical gesture of homage or awe.
- וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces speech.
- הַאַתָּ֥ה (ha-atta) – Root: אתה (atta); Form: Interrogative + pronoun, 2ms; Translation: “Is it you”; Notes: Question expressing surprise or confirmation.
- זֶ֖ה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “this”; Notes: Emphatic identifier.
- אֲדֹנִ֥י (ʾadoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun with 1cs suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: A title of respect.
- אֵלִיָּֽהוּ (Eliyahu) – Root: אליהו (Eliyahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyahu”; Notes: Final confirmation of his identity.