וְעֵלִ֖י זָקֵ֣ן מְאֹ֑ד וְשָׁמַ֗ע אֵת֩ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲשׂ֤וּן בָּנָיו֙ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֤ת אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים הַצֹּ֣בְאֹ֔ות פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מֹועֵֽד׃
Now ʿEli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Yisraʾel, and how they would lie with the women who served at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
Morphology
- וְעֵלִ֖י (ve-ʿEli) – Root: עלי (ʿEli); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “And ʿEli”; Notes: Refers to the high priest.
- זָקֵ֣ן (zaqen) – Root: זקן (zaqan); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “old”; Notes: Describes ʿEli’s advanced age.
- מְאֹ֑ד (meʾod) – Root: מאד (meʾod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “very”; Notes: Intensifies the adjective.
- וְשָׁמַ֗ע (ve-shamaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal consecutive perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he heard”; Notes: Sequential past action.
- אֵת֩ (et) – Root: את (et); Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: “all”; Notes: Introduces the object of the verb.
- כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֨ר (kol-ʾasher) – Root: כל (kol) + אשר (ʾasher); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + relative pronoun; Translation: “all that”; Notes: Introduces the reported actions.
- יַעֲשׂ֤וּן (yaʿasun) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they were doing”; Notes: Ongoing action.
- בָּנָיו֙ (banav) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his sons”; Notes: Refers to ʿEli’s sons.
- לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (le-kol-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to all Yisraʾel”; Notes: Indicates the group affected.
- וְאֵ֤ת (ve-et) – Root: את (et); Form: Definite direct object marker; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces another object.
- אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁכְּבוּן֙ (ʾasher-yishkevun) – Root: שכב (shakav); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “how they lay”; Notes: Refers to their immoral actions.
- אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֔ים (et-ha-nashim) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine plural with definite article; Translation: “with the women”; Notes: Refers to the women at the sanctuary.
- הַצֹּ֣בְאֹ֔ות (ha-tsovʾot) – Root: צבא (tsavaʾ); Form: Participle, feminine plural with definite article; Translation: “who served”; Notes: Refers to women engaged in religious duties.
- פֶּ֖תַח (petah) – Root: פתח (petah); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “at the entrance”; Notes: Indicates location.
- אֹ֥הֶל מֹועֵֽד (ohel moʿed) – Root: אהל (ohel) + יעד (yaʿad); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct; Translation: “Tent of Meeting”; Notes: The sacred dwelling for YHWH’s presence.