וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד מִן־הָרָמָתַ֛יִם צֹופִ֖ים מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמֹ֡ו אֶ֠לְקָנָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ בֶן־צ֖וּף אֶפְרָתִֽי׃
And there was one man from the Ramataʾim Tsophim, from the hill country of Efrayim, and his name was Elqana, the son of Yeroḥam, the son of Elihu, the son of Toḥu, the son of Tsuf, an Efratite.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֩ (vayehi) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And there was”; Notes: A common narrative construction in Hebrew.
- אִ֨ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Refers to a singular male person.
- אֶחָ֜ד (eḥad) – Root: אחד (eḥad); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “one”; Notes: Describes uniqueness.
- מִן־הָרָמָתַ֛יִם (min-ha-Ramataʾim) – Root: רמה (Ramah); Form: Preposition with proper noun, dual form; Translation: “from the Ramataʾim”; Notes: The name refers to a town, given in dual form.
- צֹופִ֖ים (Tsophim) – Root: צוף (Tsuf); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “Tsophim”; Notes: Possibly a clan or region associated with Ramataʾim.
- מֵהַ֣ר (me-har) – Root: הר (har); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “from the hill”; Notes: Indicates geographical origin.
- אֶפְרָ֑יִם (Ephrayim) – Root: אפרים (Ephrayim); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ephrayim”; Notes: A tribal territory and name.
- וּשְׁמֹ֡ו (u-shemo) – Root: שם (shem); Form: Conjunction with noun, masculine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his name”; Notes: Possessive construction.
- אֶ֠לְקָנָה (Elqanah) – Root: אלקנה (Elqanah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Elqanah”; Notes: Personal name meaning “God has acquired.”
- בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם (ben-Yeroḥam) – Root: בן (ben) + ירחם (Yeroḥam); Form: Noun construct with proper noun; Translation: “the son of Yeroḥam”; Notes: Genealogical reference.
- בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא (ben-Elihu) – Root: בן (ben) + אליהוא (Elihu); Form: Noun construct with proper noun; Translation: “the son of Elihu”; Notes: Genealogical reference.
- בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ (ben-Toḥu) – Root: בן (ben) + תוחו (Toḥu); Form: Noun construct with proper noun; Translation: “the son of Toḥu”; Notes: Genealogical reference.
- בֶן־צ֖וּף (ben-Tsuf) – Root: בן (ben) + צוף (Tsuf); Form: Noun construct with proper noun; Translation: “the son of Tsuf”; Notes: Genealogical reference.
- אֶפְרָתִֽי (Ephrati) – Root: אפרת (Ephrat); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “an Ephratite”; Notes: Likely indicating a resident of Ephratah or a member of the tribe of Ephrayim.