וַיֹּ֜אמֶר לְמַלְאֲכֵ֣י בֶן־הֲדַ֗ד אִמְר֞וּ לַֽאדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֨חְתָּ אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ֤ בָרִֽאשֹׁנָה֙ אֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה וְהַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל לַעֲשֹׂ֑ות וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים וַיְשִׁבֻ֖הוּ דָּבָֽר׃
And he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Say to my lord the king: ‘All that you sent to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I am not able to do.’” And the messengers went and brought him back word.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Aḥʾav’s reply to Ben-Hadad’s messengers.
- לְמַלְאֲכֵי (le-malʾakhei) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Preposition לְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “to the messengers of”; Notes: Refers specifically to the envoys sent by Ben-Hadad.
- בֶן־הֲדַד (ben-Hadad) – Root: בן (ben) + הדד (Hadad); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “Ben-Hadad”; Notes: The Aramean king making the demands.
- אִמְרוּ (imru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Say”; Notes: Instruction to the messengers to deliver a message.
- לַאדֹנִי (la-adoni) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Preposition לְ with noun and 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my lord”; Notes: Formal address acknowledging Ben-Hadad’s title.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Apposition reinforcing Ben-Hadad’s authority.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular (absolute); Translation: “All”; Notes: Introduces the extent of compliance.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause describing what was sent.
- שָׁלַחְתָּ (shalaḥta) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you sent”; Notes: Refers to Ben-Hadad’s initial demands.
- אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ (el-avdekha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Preposition אֶל + noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your servant”; Notes: Humble self-designation by Aḥʾav.
- בָרִאשֹׁנָה (ba-rishonah) – Root: ראשׁון (rishon); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “at the first”; Notes: Refers to the first set of demands.
- אֶעֱשֶׂה (eʿeseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I will do”; Notes: Expresses compliance with the original terms.
- וְהַדָּבָר (ve-ha-davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Conjunction וְ with definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “but the thing”; Notes: Introduces a contrast regarding the second demand.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the new, unacceptable demand.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denial of ability or willingness.
- אוּכַל (ukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person common singular; Translation: “I am able”; Notes: Here negated — “I am not able.”
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition לְ with infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Complements the verb “am not able.”
- וַיֵּלְכוּ (va-yelechu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they went”; Notes: Refers to the messengers returning.
- הַמַּלְאָכִים (ha-malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the messengers”; Notes: Subject of the action “went.”
- וַיְשִׁבֻהוּ (va-yeshibuhu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they brought him back”; Notes: Returning a response.
- דָּבָר (davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “word” or “message”; Notes: Refers to the report given back to Ben-Hadad.