וַיַּ֤עַן מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דַּבְּר֔וּ אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל חֹגֵ֖ר כִּמְפַתֵּֽחַ׃
And the king of Yisraʾel answered and said, “Speak: ‘Let not him who girds himself boast like him who loosens.’”
Morphology
- וַיַּעַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ען (ʿanah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Standard introduction for a reply, continuing the dialogue.
- מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (melekh-Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך (melekh) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers again to Aḥʾav, the responding king.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Transition into the king’s actual speech.
- דַּבְּרוּ (dabberu) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: Command to deliver his response back to Ben-Hadad.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative imperative particle; Translation: “Let not”; Notes: Used to prohibit an action.
- יִתְהַלֵּל (yithallel) – Root: הלל (halal); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “boast”; Notes: Reflexive form meaning “glory in oneself” or “boast.”
- חֹגֵר (ḥoger) – Root: חגר (ḥagar); Form: Qal active participle masculine singular; Translation: “him who girds himself”; Notes: Refers to one arming himself for battle (before fighting).
- כִּמְפַתֵּחַ (kimfateach) – Root: פתח (pataḥ); Form: Piel active participle masculine singular with comparative כְּ; Translation: “like him who loosens”; Notes: Refers to one loosening his armor after victory, indicating success.