וַיָּבֹ֤א הַמַּלְאָךְ֙ וַיַּגֶּד־לֹ֣ו לֵאמֹ֔ר הֵבִ֖יאוּ רָאשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שִׂ֣ימוּ אֹתָ֞ם שְׁנֵ֧י צִבֻּרִ֛ים פֶּ֥תַח הַשַּׁ֖עַר עַד־הַבֹּֽקֶר׃
And the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the sons of the king.” And he said, “Place them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.”
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹא (va-yavo) – Root: בוא (b-v-ʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he came”; Notes: Refers to the arrival of the messenger.
- הַמַּלְאָךְ (ha-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (m-l-ʾ-k); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the messenger”; Notes: Likely a human courier, not an angel.
- וַיַּגֶּד־לֹו (va-yagged-lo) – Root: נגד (n-g-d); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he told him”; Notes: Hifil used for reporting or declaring.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- הֵבִיאוּ (heviʾu) – Root: בוא (b-v-ʾ); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “They have brought”; Notes: Refers to the delivery of the heads.
- רָאשֵׁי (rashei) – Root: ראשׁ (r-ʾ-sh); Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “the heads of”; Notes: Construct form used with “sons.”
- בְנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְ (benei-ha-melekh) – Root: בן / מלך (b-n / m-l-k); Form: Construct + definite noun; Translation: “the sons of the king”; Notes: Refers to the seventy royal heirs.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Yehu’s instruction in response to the report.
- שִׂימוּ (simu) – Root: שׂים (s-y-m); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Place”; Notes: Command to arrange the heads visibly.
- אֹתָם (otam) – Form: Direct object pronoun 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the heads.
- שְׁנֵי (shenei) – Root: שנים (sh-n-y); Form: Construct form of masculine dual; Translation: “two of”; Notes: Modifies “heaps.”
- צִבֻּרִים (tsibburim) – Root: צבר (ts-b-r); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “heaps”; Notes: Piles or mounds of objects, often used for emphasis or display.
- פֶּתַח (petach) – Root: פתח (p-t-ḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “entrance”; Notes: The main gate of the city.
- הַשַּׁעַר (ha-shaʿar) – Root: שער (sh-ʿ-r); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the gate”; Notes: Refers to the city gate, a public location for judgment or display.
- עַד־הַבֹּקֶר (ʿad ha-boqer) – Root: בקר (b-q-r); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “until the morning”; Notes: Indicates a temporary display until dawn.