וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וַיַּסִּעוּ֩ אֲבָנִ֨ים גְּדֹלֹ֜ות אֲבָנִ֧ים יְקָרֹ֛ות לְיַסֵּ֥ד הַבָּ֖יִת אַבְנֵ֥י גָזִֽית׃
And the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house—hewn stones.
Morphology
- וַיְצַ֣ו (va-ytsav) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect), Piel, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he commanded”; Notes: Refers to King Shelomoh issuing a royal command.
- הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the verb “commanded.”
- וַיַּסִּעוּ֩ (va-yassiʿu) – Root: נסע (nasaʿ); Form: Wayyiqtol, Piel, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they quarried”; Notes: Piel form intensifies meaning; in context, to move or hew stone for construction.
- אֲבָנִ֨ים (ʾavanim) – Root: אבן (ʾeven); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “stones”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “they quarried”.
- גְּדֹלֹ֜ות (gedolot) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Adjective feminine plural; Translation: “great”; Notes: Modifies “stones”, referring to size.
- אֲבָנִ֧ים (ʾavanim) – Root: אבן (ʾeven); Form: Noun feminine plural (repeated); Translation: “stones”; Notes: Parallel phrase for emphasis.
- יְקָרֹ֛ות (yeqarot) – Root: יקר (yaqar); Form: Adjective feminine plural; Translation: “costly”; Notes: Modifies the second “stones”, emphasizing value.
- לְיַסֵּ֥ד (le-yassed) – Root: יסד (yasad); Form: Piel infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to lay the foundation”; Notes: Indicates purpose of the quarried stones.
- הַבָּ֖יִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Noun masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Refers to the Temple Shelomoh is building.
- אַבְנֵ֥י (ʾavnei) – Root: אבן (ʾeven); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “stones of”; Notes: Construct chain introducing the type of stones.
- גָזִֽית (gazit) – Root: גזה (gazah); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “hewn”; Notes: Describes the stones as dressed or shaped for construction.