וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שִׂ֥ימוּ אֶת־זֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית הַכֶּ֑לֶא וְהַאֲכִילֻ֨הוּ לֶ֤חֶם לַ֨חַץ֙ וּמַ֣יִם לַ֔חַץ עַ֖ד בֹּאִ֥י בְשָׁלֹֽום׃
and you shall say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this one in the prison house, and feed him with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction until I come in peace.”’”
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ (ve-amarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Instruction to relay the king’s command.
- כֹּה אָמַר (koh amar) – Root: כה (koh), אמר (ʾamar); Form: Demonstrative + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Common formula introducing a royal or prophetic decree.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Aḥav, issuing the order.
- שִׂימוּ (simu) – Root: שים (sim); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Put”; Notes: Command to jailers or officials.
- אֶת־זֶה (et-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Accusative marker + demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this one”; Notes: Refers to Mikhayehu.
- בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא (beit ha-keleʾ) – Root: בית (bayit), כלא (keleʾ); Form: Construct noun + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prison house”; Notes: Place of detention or punishment.
- וְהַאֲכִילֻהוּ (ve-haʾakhiluhu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Hiphil imperative masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and feed him”; Notes: Instruction to sustain him under duress.
- לֶחֶם לַחַץ (leḥem laḥats) – Root: לחם (leḥem), לחץ (laḥats); Form: Noun + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “bread of affliction”; Notes: Symbolic of harsh treatment or imprisonment.
- וּמַיִם לַחַץ (u-mayim laḥats) – Root: מים (mayim), לחץ (laḥats); Form: Conjunction + noun + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “and water of affliction”; Notes: Suggests minimal sustenance under distress.
- עַד (ʿad) – Root: עד (ʿad); Form: Preposition; Translation: “until”; Notes: Marks the limit of the punishment’s duration.
- בֹּאִי (boʾi) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal infinitive construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my coming”; Notes: Refers to the king’s anticipated safe return.
- בְשָׁלוֹם (be-shalom) – Root: שׁלם (shalom); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in peace”; Notes: Ironically optimistic expectation, in contrast with Mikhayehu’s prophecy of doom.