וַיִּפְצְרוּ־בֹ֥ו עַד־בֹּ֖שׁ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שְׁלָ֑חוּ וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ וַיְבַקְשׁ֥וּ שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־יָמִ֖ים וְלֹ֥א מְצָאֻֽהוּ׃
And they urged him until he was ashamed, and he said, “Send.” So they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.
Morphology
- וַיִּפְצְרוּ־בֹ֥ו (va-yiftseru-vo) – Root: פצר (fatser); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And they urged him”; Notes: Persistent pleading with Elisha.
- עַד־בֹּ֖שׁ (ʿad-bosh) – Root: בוש (bosh); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “until he was ashamed”; Notes: Indicates emotional pressure or embarrassment.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Elisha relents under pressure.
- שְׁלָ֑חוּ (shelachu) – Root: שלח (shalach); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Send”; Notes: Elisha’s instruction, permitting the search party.
- וַֽיִּשְׁלְחוּ (va-yishlechu) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sent”; Notes: The men immediately obeyed Elisha’s permission.
- חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים אִ֔ישׁ (ḥamishim ish) – Root: חמש + איש; Form: Numeral + noun masculine singular in construct; Translation: “fifty men”; Notes: The same number previously proposed.
- וַיְבַקְשׁוּ (va-yevaksheu) – Root: בקש (baqash); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they searched”; Notes: Persistent seeking of Eliyyahu’s body.
- שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־יָמִ֖ים (sheloshah-yamim) – Root: שלש + יום; Form: Numeral masculine + noun masculine plural; Translation: “three days”; Notes: Length of the fruitless search.
- וְלֹ֥א מְצָאֻֽהוּ (ve-lo metsaʾuhu) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “but they did not find him”; Notes: Confirms Eliyyahu’s complete disappearance.