וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֡יו הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יֵֽשׁ־אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים אֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּנֵֽי־חַ֗יִל יֵ֣לְכוּ נָא֮ וִיבַקְשׁ֣וּ אֶת־אֲדֹנֶיךָ֒ פֶּן־נְשָׂאֹו֙ ר֣וּחַ יְהוָ֔ה וַיַּשְׁלִכֵ֨הוּ֙ בְּאַחַ֣ד הֶהָרִ֔ים אֹ֖ו בְּאַחַ֣ת הַגֵּיא֑וֹת וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֥א תִשְׁלָֽחוּ׃
And they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty men, sons of strength. Let them go now and seek your master, lest the spirit of YHWH has taken him up and cast him upon one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” But he said, “You shall not send.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Refers to the sons of the prophets addressing Elisha.
- אֵלָ֡יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: The direct speech is addressed to Elisha.
- הִנֵּה־נָ֣א (hinneh-na) – Root: הנה + נא; Form: Interjection + entreaty particle; Translation: “Behold now”; Notes: A polite appeal or request.
- יֵֽשׁ־אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ (yesh et-ʿavadeikha) – Root: יש + עבד; Form: Existential particle + direct object marker + noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “there are with your servants”; Notes: Statement of availability.
- חֲמִשִּׁ֨ים אֲנָשִׁ֜ים (ḥamishim anashim) – Root: חמש + אנש; Form: Numeral + noun masculine plural; Translation: “fifty men”; Notes: The proposed search party.
- בְּנֵֽי־חַ֗יִל (benei ḥayil) – Root: בן + חיל; Form: Construct plural + noun masculine singular; Translation: “sons of strength”; Notes: Implies capable or valiant men.
- יֵ֣לְכוּ נָא (yelechu na) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + entreaty particle; Translation: “Let them go now”; Notes: Polite suggestion.
- וִיבַקְשׁוּ (vi-yevaksheu) – Root: בקש (baqash); Form: Piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and seek”; Notes: Search or investigation request.
- אֶת־אֲדֹנֶיךָ (et-adonekha) – Root: אדן (adon); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your master”; Notes: Refers to Eliyyahu.
- פֶּן־נְשָׂאֹו (pen-nesaʾo) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Lest + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “lest he has taken him”; Notes: Expresses concern or fear of a possibility.
- רוּחַ יְהוָה (ruaḥ YHWH) – Root: רוח + יהוה; Form: Noun feminine singular + proper noun; Translation: “the spirit of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to divine transportation, as previously seen with Eliyyahu.
- וַיַּשְׁלִכֵהוּ (va-yashlikhehu) – Root: שלך (shalakh); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and has cast him”; Notes: Concern that Eliyyahu was deposited somewhere remote.
- בְּאַחַד הֶהָרִים (be-aḥad he-harim) – Root: אחד + הר; Form: Preposition + numeral + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “on one of the mountains”; Notes: One possible search location.
- אֹו בְּאַחַת הַגֵּיאוֹת (o be-aḥat ha-geʾot) – Root: אחד + גיא; Form: Conjunction + preposition + numeral feminine + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “or into one of the valleys”; Notes: Alternate possible location.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Elisha’s response.
- לֹא תִשְׁלָחוּ (lo tishlachu) – Root: שלח (shalach); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “You shall not send”; Notes: Elisha’s firm refusal.