וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְכָל־זִקְנֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ דְּעֽוּ־נָ֣א וּרְא֔וּ כִּ֥י רָעָ֖ה זֶ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֨ח אֵלַ֜י לְנָשַׁ֤י וּלְבָנַי֙ וּלְכַסְפִּ֣י וְלִזְהָבִ֔י וְלֹ֥א מָנַ֖עְתִּי מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
And the king of Yisraʾel called to all the elders of the land and said, “Please know and see that this one seeks evil; for he sent to me for my wives and for my sons and for my silver and for my gold, and I did not withhold it from him.”
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרָא (va-yiqra) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Introduces an act of summoning for counsel.
- מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (melekh-Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך (melekh) + ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to Aḥʾav.
- לְכָל־זִקְנֵי (le-kol-ziqnei) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Preposition לְ + totality כָּל + noun plural construct; Translation: “to all the elders of”; Notes: Summoning the community leaders for advice.
- הָאָרֶץ (ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾaretz); Form: Definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the land”; Notes: Refers broadly to the kingdom or territory of Yisraʾel.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces his speech to the elders.
- דְּעוּ־נָא (deʾu-na) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural + particle נָא; Translation: “Please know”; Notes: Urgent call for awareness and understanding.
- וּרְאוּ (u-reʾu) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “and see”; Notes: Parallel to “know,” asking for recognition of the situation.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the reason for concern.
- רָעָה (raʿah) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “evil”; Notes: Refers to a harmful or wicked intent.
- זֶה (zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this one”; Notes: Refers to Ben-Hadad.
- מְבַקֵּשׁ (mevaqqesh) – Root: בקש (baqqash); Form: Piel participle masculine singular; Translation: “seeks”; Notes: Piel stem emphasizing intent or pursuit.
- כִּי־שָׁלַח (ki-shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “for he sent”; Notes: Explains the basis for the accusation.
- אֵלַי (elay) – Root: אל (el); Form: Preposition אֶל with 1st person common singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Personal reference to Aḥʾav as the target.
- לְנָשַׁי (le-nashay) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Preposition לְ with noun feminine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “for my wives”; Notes: Lists items demanded.
- וּלְבָנַי (u-le-vanay) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Conjunction וְ with preposition לְ and noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and for my sons”; Notes: Continuation of the list.
- וּלְכַסְפִּי (u-le-kaspi) – Root: כסף (kesef); Form: Conjunction וְ with preposition לְ and noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and for my silver”; Notes: Wealth item being demanded.
- וְלִזְהָבִי (ve-li-zehavi) – Root: זהב (zahav); Form: Conjunction וְ with preposition לְ and noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and for my gold”; Notes: Precious goods demanded by Ben-Hadad.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Conjunction וְ with negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces denial of refusal.
- מָנַעְתִּי (manaʿti) – Root: מנע (manaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I withheld”; Notes: Describes his initial compliance.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmennu) – Root: מן (min) + suffix; Form: Preposition מִן with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “from him”; Notes: Refers to Ben-Hadad.