וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ הַֽמְצָאתַ֖נִי אֹיְבִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מָצָ֔אתִי יַ֚עַן הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ֔ לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
And Aḥav said to Eliyahu, “Have you found me, my enemy?” And he said, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the eyes of YHWH.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Aḥav’s speech to Eliyahu.
- אַחְאָב (Aḥav) – Root: אחאב (Aḥav); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Aḥav”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel addressing the prophet.
- אֶל־אֵלִיָּהוּ (el-Eliyahu) – Root: אליה (Eliyah); Form: Preposition + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “to Eliyahu”; Notes: Recipient of Aḥav’s words.
- הַמְצָאתַנִי (ha-metsaʾtani) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Hiphil perfect 2nd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix + interrogative הֲ; Translation: “Have you found me?”; Notes: Expresses Aḥav’s realization of confrontation.
- אֹיְבִי (ʾoyvi) – Root: אויב (ʾoyev); Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my enemy”; Notes: Indicates Aḥav’s hostile view toward Eliyahu.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Eliyahu’s reply.
- מָצָאתִי (matsaʾti) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have found you”; Notes: Affirmation by Eliyahu of the encounter.
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Root: יען (yaʿan); Form: Preposition; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for judgment against Aḥav.
- הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ (hitmakerkha) – Root: מכר (makar); Form: Hitpael perfect 2nd person masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you have sold yourself”; Notes: Reflexive form, indicating voluntary enslavement to evil deeds.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Purpose of Aḥav’s self-sale.
- הָרַע (ha-raʿ) – Root: רעע (raʿaʿ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the evil”; Notes: Refers to moral evil in general, specifically disobedience to YHWH’s commands.
- בְּעֵינֵי (be-ʿeine) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine dual construct; Translation: “in the eyes of”; Notes: Standard biblical expression meaning “according to the judgment of.”
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine judge and ultimate moral authority.