וְהֽוּא־הָלַ֤ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יֹ֔ום וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם אחת וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשֹׁו֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר רַ֗ב עַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ קַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־לֹא־טֹ֥וב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי׃
And he went into the wilderness a day’s journey, and came and sat under one broom tree, and he asked for his life to die, and said, “It is enough; now, O YHWH, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”
Morphology
- וְהֽוּא־הָלַ֤ךְ (ve-hu-halakh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal perfect 3ms with conjunction; Translation: “And he went”; Notes: Continuation of Eliyahu’s flight.
- בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ (ba-midbar) – Root: מדבר (midbar); Form: Definite noun with preposition; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Indicates desolate location.
- דֶּ֣רֶךְ יֹ֔ום (derekh yom) – Root: דרך (derekh), יום (yom); Form: Noun construct chain; Translation: “a day’s journey”; Notes: Distance measure by time.
- וַיָּבֹ֕א (va-yavo) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he came”; Notes: Sequential action.
- וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב (va-yeshev) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he sat”; Notes: Indicates stopping and resting.
- תַּ֖חַת (taḥat) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition; Translation: “under”; Notes: Positioning under the tree for shade/rest.
- רֹ֣תֶם אחת (rotem eḥat) – Root: רתם (rotem), אחד (eḥad); Form: Noun + numeral adjective; Translation: “one broom tree”; Notes: A desert shrub common in the region.
- וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל (va-yishʾal) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he asked”; Notes: Prayer/request for death.
- אֶת־נַפְשֹׁו֙ (et-nafsho) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Direct object marker + noun with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his life”; Notes: The object of his plea.
- לָמ֔וּת (lamut) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “to die”; Notes: Purpose of the request.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduction of direct speech.
- רַ֗ב (rav) – Root: רבב (rav); Form: Adjective/noun; Translation: “enough”; Notes: Expression of reaching his limit.
- עַתָּ֤ה (ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Urgency in prayer.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Addressing God directly.
- קַ֣ח (qaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “take”; Notes: Plea for God to take his life.
- נַפְשִׁ֔י (nafshi) – Root: נפש (nefesh); Form: Noun with 1cs suffix; Translation: “my life”; Notes: Intensely personal request.
- כִּֽי־לֹא־טֹ֥וב אָנֹכִ֖י (ki-lo-tov anokhi) – Roots: טוב (tov), אנכי (anokhi); Form: Conjunction + negative + adjective + pronoun; Translation: “for I am not better”; Notes: Self-deprecating statement.
- מֵאֲבֹתָֽי׃ (me-avatay) – Root: אב (av); Form: Preposition + plural noun with 1cs suffix; Translation: “than my fathers”; Notes: Comparative statement expressing despair.