וַיַּ֣עַן אֵלִיָּה֮ וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶם֒ אִם־אִ֤ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ־אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹתֹ֖ו וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃
And Eliyya answered and spoke to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume you and your fifty.” And fire of God came down from the heavens and consumed him and his fifty.
Morphology
- וַיַּ֣עַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Eliyyah’s verbal reply.
- אֵלִיָּה (Eliyah) – Root: אליה (Eliyah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyyah”; Notes: The prophet of YHWH.
- וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (va-yedabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he spoke”; Notes: Begins his pronouncement.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (alehem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the second captain and his fifty.
- אִם־אִ֤ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי (im-ʾish ha-Elohim ani) – Root: אם + איש + אלהים; Form: Conditional clause; Translation: “If I am a man of God”; Notes: Eliyyah tests the divine backing of his office.
- תֵּ֤רֶד (tered) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular (jussive); Translation: “let it come down”; Notes: Jussive for a request or command to heaven.
- אֵשׁ (ʾesh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Represents divine judgment.
- מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (min-ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “from the heavens”; Notes: Indicates fire’s divine origin.
- וְתֹאכַ֥ל (ve-toʾakhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and let it consume”; Notes: Continuation of the jussive structure.
- אֹתְךָ (ʾotkha) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Directed at the captain.
- וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ (ve-et-ḥamishekha) – Root: חמש (ḥamesh); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + noun plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your fifty”; Notes: His soldiers.
- וַתֵּ֤רֶד (va-tered) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And it came down”; Notes: Narrative fulfillment of the invocation.
- אֵשׁ־אֱלֹהִים (ʾesh-Elohim) – Root: אש + אלהים; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “fire of God”; Notes: Emphatically divine fire, not mere lightning.
- מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (min-ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “from the heavens”; Notes: Repeats the source of judgment.
- וַתֹּ֥אכַל (va-toʾakhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it consumed”; Notes: Marks the final execution of divine wrath.
- אֹתֹו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to the second captain.
- וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו (ve-et-ḥamishav) – Root: חמש (ḥamesh); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his fifty”; Notes: All his men perished with him.