וַיְהִ֞י כְּהַזְכִּירֹ֣ו אֶת־אֲרֹ֣ון הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיִּפֹּ֣ל מֵֽעַל־֠הַכִּסֵּא אֲחֹ֨רַנִּ֜ית בְּעַ֣ד יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֗עַר וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֤ר מַפְרַקְתֹּו֙ וַיָּמֹ֔ת כִּֽי־זָקֵ֥ן הָאִ֖ישׁ וְכָבֵ֑ד וְה֛וּא שָׁפַ֥ט אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָֽה׃
And it happened, when he mentioned the Ark of God, that he fell backward from the seat by the side of the gate, and his neck broke, and he died, for the man was old and heavy. And he had judged Yisraʾel forty years.
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֞י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it happened”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event.
- כְּהַזְכִּירֹ֣ו (ke-hazkīro) – Root: זכר (zakar); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “when he mentioned”; Notes: Causal clause indicating the reason for the fall.
- אֶת־אֲרֹ֣ון (et-ʾaron) – Root: ארן (ʾaron); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite direct object marker; Translation: “the Ark”; Notes: Refers to the Ark of God.
- הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים (ha-Elohim) – Root: אלהים (Elohim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “of God”; Notes: Indicates divine ownership.
- וַיִּפֹּ֣ל (va-yippol) – Root: נפל (naphal); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “that he fell”; Notes: Action resulting from the shocking news.
- מֵֽעַל־֠הַכִּסֵּא (meʿal-ha-kisse) – Root: כסא (kisse); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “from the seat”; Notes: Indicates his physical location.
- אֲחֹ֨רַנִּ֜ית (aḥoranit) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Adverb; Translation: “backward”; Notes: Describes the direction of his fall.
- בְּעַ֣ד יַ֣ד (beʿad yad) – Root: בעד (beʿad), יד (yad); Form: Preposition with noun; Translation: “by the side”; Notes: Specifies the location.
- הַשַּׁ֗עַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שער (shaʿar); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of the gate”; Notes: Indicates the entrance where he sat.
- וַתִּשָּׁבֵ֤ר (va-tishaver) – Root: שבר (shavar); Form: Nifal consecutive imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it broke”; Notes: Refers to his neck breaking.
- מַפְרַקְתֹּו֙ (mafraqto) – Root: פרק (paraq); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his neck”; Notes: Indicates cause of death.
- וַיָּמֹ֔ת (va-yamot) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal consecutive imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he died”; Notes: Final result of the fall.
- כִּֽי־זָקֵ֥ן (ki-zaqen) – Root: זקן (zaqen); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “for he was old”; Notes: Explanation for his fragility.
- הָאִ֖ישׁ (ha-ish) – Root: איש (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Refers to ʿEli.
- וְכָבֵ֑ד (ve-kaved) – Root: כבד (kaved); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “and heavy”; Notes: Contributing factor to his death.
- וְה֛וּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא (hu); Form: Pronoun, 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Resumes the subject.
- שָׁפַ֥ט (shafat) – Root: שפט (shafat); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “had judged”; Notes: Past completed action.
- אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (et-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun, singular with direct object marker; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the nation he led.
- אַרְבָּעִ֥ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Number, masculine plural; Translation: “forty”; Notes: Specifies the length of his judgeship.
- שָׁנָֽה (shanah) – Root: שנה (shanah); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “years”; Notes: Unit of time.