1 Kings 20:39

וַיְהִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ עֹבֵ֔ר וְה֖וּא צָעַ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֜אמֶר עַבְדְּךָ֣ יָצָ֣א בְקֶֽרֶב־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְהִנֵּֽה־אִ֨ישׁ סָ֜ר וַיָּבֵ֧א אֵלַ֣י אִ֗ישׁ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ שְׁמֹר֙ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־הִפָּקֵד֙ יִפָּקֵ֔ד וְהָיְתָ֤ה נַפְשְׁךָ֙ תַּ֣חַת נַפְשֹׁ֔ו אֹ֥ו כִכַּר־כֶּ֖סֶף תִּשְׁקֹֽול׃

And it happened as the king was passing by, that he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if he is missing at all, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

Morphology

1. וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it happened”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event.
2. הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to the king of Yisraʾel passing by.
3. עֹבֵר (ʿover) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “passing”; Notes: Describes the action of the king.
4. וְהוּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Conjunction וְ + pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Refers to the disguised prophet.
5. צָעַק (tsaʿaq) – Root: צעק (tsaʿaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “cried out”; Notes: Urgent cry to get the king’s attention.
6. אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ (el-ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition אֶל + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: The prophet calls out directly to the king.
7. וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduction to the prophet’s speech.
8. עַבְדְּךָ (avdekha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Self-reference by the prophet, a position of humility.
9. יָצָא (yatzaʾ) – Root: יצא (yatzaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “went out”; Notes: Describes the prophet’s supposed action.
10. בְּקֶרֶב־הַמִּלְחָמָה (be-qerev ha-milḥamah) – Root: קרב (qerev) + לחם (laḥam); Form: Preposition בְּ + construct chain + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “into the midst of the battle”; Notes: Setting of the story.
11. וְהִנֵּה (ve-hinne) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “and behold”; Notes: Calls attention to an important moment.
12. אִישׁ (ish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Someone encountered in the battle.
13. סָר (sar) – Root: סר (sar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “turned aside”; Notes: Someone deviating from the path.
14. וַיָּבֵא (va-yave) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and brought”; Notes: The man brings another person to the speaker.
15. אֵלַי (elai) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition אֶל + first person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Referring to the prophet.
16. אִישׁ (ish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: The one to be guarded.
17. וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Instructions regarding the guarded man.
18. שְׁמֹר (shemor) – Root: שמר (shamar); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Guard”; Notes: Command to watch over the man.
19. אֶת־הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה (et-ha-ish ha-zeh) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish) + זה (zeh); Form: Accusative particle + noun + demonstrative pronoun; Translation: “this man”; Notes: The man entrusted to his care.
20. אִם־הִפָּקֵד יִפָּקֵד (im-hippaked yippaked) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Conditional particle + Nifal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular twice; Translation: “if he is missing at all”; Notes: Emphasizes responsibility.
21. וְהָיְתָה (ve-hayetah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “then it shall be”; Notes: The consequence of losing the man.
22. נַפְשְׁךָ תַּחַת נַפְשׁוֹ (nafshekha taḥat nafsho) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular + possessive suffix; Translation: “your life for his life”; Notes: Life for life penalty.
23. אוֹ כִכַּר־כֶּסֶף (o kikkar-kesef) – Root: ככר (kikkar) + כסף (kesef); Form: Disjunction particle + construct phrase; Translation: “or a talent of silver”; Notes: Alternative monetary fine.
24. תִּשְׁקֹל (tishqol) – Root: שקל (shaqal); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall pay”; Notes: Verb of weighing out silver as payment.