וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֜ע אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ לֵ֚ךְ אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵ֖י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לֹו֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַ֗ל כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לִשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לָתֵ֥ת אֹותָ֖ם בְּיַד־מֹואָֽב׃
And Elishaʿ said to the king of Yisraʾel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Yisraʾel said to him, “No, for YHWH has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moʾav.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Spoken by Elishaʿ.
- אֱלִישָׁ֜ע (Elishaʿ) – Root: אלישע; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Elishaʿ”; Notes: The prophet of YHWH.
- אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (el-melekh Yisraʾel) – Root: אל + מלך + ישראל; Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “to the king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Addressed to Yehoram.
- מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ (mah-li va-lakh) – Root: מה + לי + לך; Form: Interrogative + pronominal phrases; Translation: “What to me and to you?”; Notes: Idiom meaning “What do I have to do with you?” expressing rejection.
- לֵ֚ךְ (lekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Go”; Notes: A command, dismissive in tone.
- אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ (el-neviʾei avikha) – Root: נבא + אב; Form: Preposition + plural construct noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to the prophets of your father”; Notes: Reference to the false prophets of Aḥʾav.
- וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵ֖י אִמֶּ֑ךָ (ve-el-neviʾei immekha) – Root: נבא + אם; Form: Conjunction + preposition + plural construct noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and to the prophets of your mother”; Notes: Izevel (Jezebel), known for patronizing Baʿal prophets.
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לֹו֙ (va-yomer lo) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “And he said to him”; Notes: Response of Yehoram to Elishaʿ.
- מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (melekh Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך + ישראל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “No”; Notes: Used here to mean “Do not say so” or “It is not so.”
- כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א (ki-qara) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Causal conjunction + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “for has called”; Notes: Begins the justification.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker attributes the situation to divine will.
- לִשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה (li-sheloshet ha-melakhim ha-elleh) – Root: שלש + מלך; Form: Preposition + construct numeral + definite noun plural + demonstrative; Translation: “these three kings”; Notes: Refers to the alliance of Yisraʾel, Yehudah, and Edom.
- לָתֵ֥ת (latet) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to give”; Notes: Purpose clause.
- אֹותָ֖ם (otam) – Root: את; Form: Accusative pronoun masculine plural; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the three kings.
- בְּיַד־מֹואָֽב (be-yad Moʾav) – Root: יד + מואב; Form: Preposition + noun + proper noun; Translation: “into the hand of Moʾav”; Notes: Indicates anticipated defeat or divine judgment.