וַיְהִ֣י בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בָּ֣א יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־֠נְתַנְיָה בֶּן־אֱלִ֨ישָׁמָ֜ע מִזֶּ֣רַע הַמְּלוּכָ֗ה וַעֲשָׂרָ֤ה אֲנָשִׁים֙ אִתֹּ֔ו וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ וַיָּמֹ֑ת וְאֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים֙ וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֥וּ אִתֹּ֖ו בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃
And it happened in the seventh month, Yishmaʿel son of Netanya, son of Elishama, of the seed of the kingdom, came—and ten men with him—and they struck Gedalyahu, and he died, and also the Yehudim and the Kasdim who were with him at the Mitzpa.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it happened”; Notes: Narrative introduction indicating a new event.
- בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי (ba-ḥodesh ha-sheviʿi) – Root: חדשׁ, שׁבע; Form: Preposition + definite noun + ordinal adjective; Translation: “in the seventh month”; Notes: Likely the month of Tishrei.
- בָּא (ba) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “came”; Notes: Refers to Yishmaʿel’s arrival.
- יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Yishmaʿel”; Notes: The assassin of Gedalyahu.
- בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה (ben-Netanyah) – Root: בן, נתניה; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Netanyah.”
- בֶּן־אֱלִישָׁמָע (ben-Elishama) – Root: בן, אלישׁמע; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Elishama.”
- מִזֶּרַע הַמְּלוּכָה (mi-zeraʿ ha-melukhah) – Root: זרע, מלך; Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “of the seed of the kingdom”; Notes: Indicates royal lineage.
- וַעֲשָׂרָה אֲנָשִׁים (va-ʿasarah ʾanashim) – Root: עשר, אנשׁ; Form: Conjunction + cardinal number + plural noun; Translation: “and ten men”; Notes: Group that accompanied him.
- אִתּוֹ (itto) – Root: את; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him.”
- וַיַּכּוּ (va-yakku) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they struck”; Notes: Describes the assassination act.
- אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ (et-Gedalyahu) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Gedalyahu.”
- וַיָּמֹת (va-yamot) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he died.”
- וְאֶת־הַיְּהוּדִים (ve-et ha-Yehudim) – Root: יהודה; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + definite plural proper noun; Translation: “and the Yehudim”; Notes: Refers to the Jews present with Gedalyahu.
- וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּים (ve-et ha-Kasdim) – Root: כשׂד; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + definite plural noun; Translation: “and the Kasdim”; Notes: Babylonian guards or officials stationed there.
- אֲשֶׁר־הָיוּ (asher-hayu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “who were.”
- אִתּוֹ (itto) – Form: Preposition with suffix; Translation: “with him.”
- בַּמִּצְפָּה (ba-Mitzpah) – Root: צפה; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “at the Mitzpah”; Notes: Administrative center under Gedalyahu’s governance.