וְאִשָּׁ֣ה אַחַ֣ת מִנְּשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־֠הַנְּבִיאִים צָעֲקָ֨ה אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֜ע לֵאמֹ֗ר עַבְדְּךָ֤ אִישִׁי֙ מֵ֔ת וְאַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּ֣י עַבְדְּךָ֔ הָיָ֥ה יָרֵ֖א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה וְהַ֨נֹּשֶׁ֔ה בָּ֗א לָקַ֜חַת אֶת־שְׁנֵ֧י יְלָדַ֛י לֹ֖ו לַעֲבָדִֽים׃
And a certain woman from among the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared YHWH. And the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves.”
Morphology
- וְאִשָּׁ֣ה (ve-ishah) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “And a woman”; Notes: Introduces the speaker in the narrative.
- אַחַ֣ת (aḥat) – Root: אחד; Form: Adjective feminine singular; Translation: “one” or “a certain”; Notes: Modifies “woman.”
- מִנְּשֵׁ֣י בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִים (min-neshei benei ha-neviʾim) – Root: נשא + בן + נבא; Form: Preposition + noun construct plural + construct plural + definite noun plural; Translation: “from among the wives of the sons of the prophets”; Notes: Identifies her social and religious affiliation.
- צָעֲקָ֨ה (tsaʿaqah) – Root: צעק (tsaʿaq); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “cried out”; Notes: Expresses desperation.
- אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע (el-Elishaʿ) – Root: אלישע; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Elisha”; Notes: Recipient of the plea.
- לֵאמֹ֗ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- עַבְדְּךָ֤ (ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Noun masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Refers to her deceased husband.
- אִישִׁי֙ (ishi) – Root: איש; Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my husband”; Notes: Emphasizes personal loss.
- מֵ֔ת (met) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “is dead”; Notes: Statement of the crisis.
- וְאַתָּ֣ה (ve-atta) – Root: אתה; Form: Pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and you”; Notes: Addressing Elisha directly.
- יָדַ֔עְתָּ (yadaʿta) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “know”; Notes: Indicates Elisha’s awareness of the man’s character.
- כִּ֣י עַבְדְּךָ֔ (ki ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular with suffix; Translation: “that your servant”; Notes: Repeats for emphasis.
- הָיָ֥ה (hayah) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was”; Notes: Verb of existence or state.
- יָרֵ֖א (yareʾ) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “fearing”; Notes: Indicates piety or reverence.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה (et-YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Accusative marker + proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Object of reverence.
- וְהַנֹּשֶׁ֔ה (ve-ha-nosheh) – Root: נשה (nashah); Form: Conjunction + definite participle masculine singular; Translation: “and the creditor”; Notes: The one demanding repayment.
- בָּ֗א (ba) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has come”; Notes: Imminent threat.
- לָקַ֜חַת (laqakhat) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “to take”; Notes: Expresses intent.
- אֶת־שְׁנֵ֧י יְלָדַ֛י (et-shenei yeladai) – Root: שנים + ילד; Form: Accusative marker + dual + noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my two children”; Notes: Direct object of the creditor’s action.
- לֹ֖ו (lo) – Root: ל + הוא; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for himself”; Notes: Possessive intent.
- לַעֲבָדִֽים (laʿavadim) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural; Translation: “as slaves”; Notes: Denotes forced servitude to repay debt.