וַיֹּאמֶר֮ נַעֲמָן֒ וָלֹ֕א יֻתַּן־נָ֣א לְעַבְדְּךָ֔ מַשָּׂ֥א צֶֽמֶד־פְּרָדִ֖ים אֲדָמָ֑ה כִּ֡י לֹֽוא־יַעֲשֶׂה֩ עֹ֨וד עַבְדְּךָ֜ עֹלָ֤ה וָזֶ֨בַח֙ לֵאלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים כִּ֖י אִם־לַיהוָֽה׃
And Naʿaman said, “Then, please let a load of earth, the burden of a pair of mules, be given to your servant. For your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to YHWH.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Naʿaman’s follow-up request.
- נַעֲמָן (Naʿaman) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Naʿaman”; Notes: Aramean general who was healed by Elisha.
- וָלֹא (va-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “Then not” / “Please then”; Notes: Likely idiomatic in context, anticipating a request—many translate the phrase as “then please let” or “please now.”
- יוּתַּן־נָא (yuttan-na) – Root: נתן; Form: Hofal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + particle of entreaty; Translation: “may be given, please”; Notes: Polite passive request form.
- לְעַבְדְּךָ (le-ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your servant”; Notes: Humble self-reference by Naʿaman.
- מַשָּׂא (masa) – Root: נשא; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a load”; Notes: The quantity to be carried.
- צֶמֶד־פְּרָדִים (tsemed-p’radim) – Root: צמד, פרד; Form: Construct chain: “a pair of mules”; Translation: “the burden of a pair of mules”; Notes: The amount of earth that could be transported.
- אֲדָמָה (ʾadamah) – Root: אדם; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Likely holy soil from Yisraʾel for future worship.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the request.
- לֹוא־יַעֲשֶׂה (lo-yaʿaseh) – Root: עשה; Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will not do”; Notes: Refers to future worship behavior of Naʿaman.
- עֹוד (ʿod) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “any longer”; Notes: Emphasizes cessation of former practice.
- עַבְדְּךָ (ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד; Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Repeated deferential self-reference.
- עֹלָה (ʿolah) – Root: עלה; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “burnt offering”; Notes: Whole offering consumed by fire.
- וָזֶבַח (va-zevaḥ) – Root: זבח; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and sacrifice”; Notes: General term for animal sacrifices.
- לֵאלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים (le-Elohim aḥerim) – Root: אלה, אחר; Form: Preposition + noun + adjective masculine plural; Translation: “to other gods”; Notes: Foreign deities, distinct from YHWH.
- כִּי אִם (ki ʾim) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + exclusion particle; Translation: “but”; Notes: Restricts the worship to YHWH alone.
- לַיהוָה (la-YHWH) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + proper name; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Expresses exclusive worship of the God of Yisraʾel.