וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְגֵיחֲזִ֜י חֲגֹ֣ר מָתְנֶ֗יךָ וְקַ֨ח מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֣י בְיָדְךָ֮ וָלֵךְ֒ כִּֽי־תִמְצָ֥א אִישׁ֙ לֹ֣א תְבָרְכֶ֔נּוּ וְכִֽי־יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ אִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א תַעֲנֶנּ֑וּ וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ מִשְׁעַנְתִּ֖י עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַנָּֽעַר׃
And he said to Geiḥazi, “Gird up your loins and take my staff in your hand and go. If you meet a man, do not bless him, and if a man blesses you, do not answer him. And place my staff on the face of the boy.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Elisha gives instructions to his servant.
- לְגֵיחֲזִי (le-Geiḥazi) – Root: —; Form: Preposition לְ + proper noun; Translation: “to Geiḥazi”; Notes: Direct address to Elisha’s servant.
- חֲגֹר (ḥagor) – Root: חגר; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Gird up”; Notes: Instruction to prepare for rapid movement.
- מָתְנֶיךָ (motneikha) – Root: מתן; Form: Noun masculine plural + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your loins”; Notes: Symbolic of readiness for action.
- וְקַח (ve-qaḥ) – Root: לקח; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with vav; Translation: “and take”; Notes: Part of the sequence of instructions.
- מִשְׁעַנְתִּי (mishʿantī) – Root: שׁען; Form: Noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my staff”; Notes: Instrument associated with the prophet’s authority or power.
- בְיָדְךָ (ve-yadkha) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your hand”; Notes: Indicates possession and readiness.
- וָלֵךְ (va-lekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular with vav; Translation: “and go”; Notes: Final command to begin the mission.
- כִּי־תִמְצָא (ki-timtza) – Root: מצא; Form: Conjunction כִּי + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “If you meet”; Notes: Conditional clause initiating instructions.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: General human encounter.
- לֹא תְבָרְכֶנּוּ (lo tevarkhennu) – Root: ברך; Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “do not bless him”; Notes: Instruction to avoid customary greetings.
- וְכִּי־יְבָרֶכְךָ (ve-ki-yevarekhekha) – Root: ברך; Form: Conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and if he blesses you”; Notes: Reverse situation of the previous clause.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אישׁ; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- לֹא תַעֲנֶנּוּ (lo taʿanenno) – Root: ענה; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “do not answer him”; Notes: Urges silence and focused urgency.
- וְשַׂמְתָּ (ve-samta) – Root: שׂים; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with vav; Translation: “and you shall place”; Notes: Final directive in the sequence.
- מִשְׁעַנְתִּי (mishʿantī) – Root: שׁען; Form: Noun feminine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my staff”; Notes: Repeated object showing the means of prophetic action.
- עַל־פְּנֵי (ʿal-penei) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + construct form noun masculine plural; Translation: “on the face of”; Notes: Locative phrase marking where the staff is to be laid.
- הַנָּעַר (ha-naʿar) – Root: נער; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the boy”; Notes: Refers to the deceased child.