וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר בֶּן־הֲדַ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֤חְתִּי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּסְפְּךָ֧ וּזְהָבְךָ֛ וְנָשֶׁ֥יךָ וּבָנֶ֖יךָ לִ֥י תִתֵּֽן׃
And the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, saying, ‘Because I sent to you saying, “Your silver and your gold and your wives and your children you shall give to me.”
Morphology
- וַיָּשֻׁבוּ (va-yashuvu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they returned”; Notes: Refers to the messengers returning with a message.
- הַמַּלְאָכִים (ha-malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Definite noun, masculine plural; Translation: “the messengers”; Notes: Same messengers sent earlier by Ben-Hadad.
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Introduces their reporting speech.
- כֹּה־אָמַר (koh-amar) – Root: כה (koh) + אמר (ʾamar); Form: Adverb + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Formal introductory phrase for quoting an authoritative command.
- בֶּן־הֲדַד (ben-Hadad) – Root: בן (ben) + הדד (Hadad); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “Ben-Hadad”; Notes: The Aramean king making the demand.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition לְ with infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of his message.
- כִּי־שָׁלַחְתִּי (ki-shalaḥti) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Conjunction כִּי with Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “because I sent”; Notes: Explains the reason for their coming.
- אֵלֶיךָ (elekha) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition אֶל with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Direct address to Aḥʾav.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition לְ with infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Repeats that a verbal communication was sent.
- כַּסְפְּךָ (kaspkha) – Root: כסף (kesef); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your silver”; Notes: Item demanded by Ben-Hadad.
- וּזְהָבְךָ (u-zehavkha) – Root: זהב (zahav); Form: Conjunction וְ with noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your gold”; Notes: Second item demanded.
- וְנָשֶׁיךָ (ve-nashekha) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Conjunction וְ with noun, feminine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your wives”; Notes: Continued list of demands.
- וּבָנֶיךָ (u-vanekha) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Conjunction וְ with noun, masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your children”; Notes: Demands extended to family.
- לִי (li) – Root: לי (li); Form: Preposition לְ with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Marks possession.
- תִתֵּן (titten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you shall give”; Notes: Imperative expectation in imperfect form.