וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום הַה֔וּא וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁכֵ֣ב בִּמְקֹמֹ֑ו וְעֵינָו הֵחֵ֣לּוּ כֵהֹ֔ות לֹ֥א יוּכַ֖ל לִרְאֹֽות׃
And it came to pass on that day that ʿEli was lying in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim; he could not see.
Morphology
- וַֽיְהִי֙ (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Common biblical phrase introducing a narrative event.
- בַּיֹּ֣ום (ba-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Specifies the time.
- הַה֔וּא (ha-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Modifies “day.”
- וְעֵלִ֖י (ve-ʿEli) – Root: עלי (ʿEli); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and ʿEli”; Notes: Refers to the high priest.
- שֹׁכֵ֣ב (shokhev) – Root: שכב (shakhav); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was lying”; Notes: Indicates a resting position.
- בִּמְקֹמֹ֑ו (bimkomo) – Root: מקום (maqom); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his place”; Notes: Refers to where Eli was resting.
- וְעֵינָו (ve-ʿeinav) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, feminine dual construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his eyes”; Notes: Subject of the next clause.
- הֵחֵ֣לּוּ (heḥellu) – Root: חלל (ḥalal); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “had begun”; Notes: Indicates the start of an action.
- כֵהֹ֔ות (kehot) – Root: כהה (kaheh); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to grow dim”; Notes: Describes weakening eyesight.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- יוּכַ֖ל (yukhal) – Root: יכל (yakhol); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he could”; Notes: Describes Eli’s inability.
- לִרְאֹֽות (lirʾot) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to see”; Notes: Complements “he could not.”