וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לֹ֨ו אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ שֵֽׁב־נָ֣א פֹ֗ה כִּ֤י יְהוָה֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר חַי־יְהוָ֥ה וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃
And Eliyyahu said to him, “Please stay here, for YHWH has sent me to the Yarden.” But he said, “As YHWH lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Marks Eliyyahu’s continued speech.
- לֹ֨ו (lo) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Elisha.
- אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ (Eliyahu) – Root: אליהו; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyyahu”; Notes: Speaker of the command.
- שֵֽׁב־נָ֣א (shev-na) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + entreaty particle; Translation: “please stay”; Notes: Polite directive to remain behind.
- פֹה (poh) – Root: פה; Form: Adverb of place; Translation: “here”; Notes: Refers to the current location.
- כִּ֤י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason or explanation.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine sender.
- שְׁלָחַ֣נִי (shelachani) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “has sent me”; Notes: Eliyyahu’s declaration of divine commission.
- הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה (ha-Yardenah) – Root: ירדן; Form: Definite proper noun with directional suffix; Translation: “to the Yarden”; Notes: River marking a key transition point.
- וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “But he said”; Notes: Elisha’s faithful response.
- חַי־יְהוָה (ḥai-YHWH) – Root: חיה + יהוה; Form: Oath formula; Translation: “As YHWH lives”; Notes: Solemn vow in divine name.
- וְחֵֽי־נַפְשְׁךָ (ve-ḥei-nafshekha) – Root: חיה + נפש; Form: Coordinated oath clause; Translation: “and as your soul lives”; Notes: Reinforces loyalty and personal bond.
- אִם־אֶעֶזְבֶ֑ךָּ (im-eʿezvekha) – Root: עזב (ʿazav); Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 1st person singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “I will not leave you”; Notes: Expresses strong devotion.
- וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ (va-yelechu) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they went”; Notes: Describes continued journey together.
- שְׁנֵיהֶֽם (sheneihem) – Root: שנים (shnayim); Form: Dual noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “the two of them”; Notes: Emphasizes unity of movement.