וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּרֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאֹולִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אֹותָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֹֽונָה׃
And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Shomeron.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative continuation, introducing direct speech.
- אֲלֵהֶם (ʾalehem) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Indicates the addressees of Elisha’s speech.
- אֱלִישָׁע (ʾElishaʿ) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Proper name; Translation: “Elisha”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- לֹא (lo) – Root: לא; Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denotes negation.
- זֶה (zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the current way.
- הַדֶּרֶךְ (ha-derekh) – Root: דרך; Form: Noun masculine singular definite; Translation: “the way”; Notes: Refers to the path or direction.
- וְלֹא (ve-lo) – Root: לא; Form: Conjunction + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Connects the negation to the next noun.
- זֹה (zoh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Agrees with the feminine noun “city”.
- הָעִיר (ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Noun feminine singular definite; Translation: “the city”; Notes: Refers to the location the Arameans were seeking.
- לְכוּ (lechu) – Root: הלך; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “go”; Notes: Command form, directing the soldiers.
- אַחֲרַי (ʾaḥarai) – Root: אחר; Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “after me”; Notes: Indicates guidance.
- וְאֹולִיכָה (ve-ʾolikhah) – Root: הלך; Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person singular + suffix; Translation: “and I will bring [you]”; Notes: Expresses intention or purpose with cohortative nuance.
- אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkhem) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Direct object of the verb “bring”.
- אֶל־הָאִישׁ (ʾel-haʾish) – Root: איש; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the man”; Notes: Refers ironically to Elisha himself.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר; Form: Relative particle; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause.
- תְּבַקֵּשׁוּן (tevakqeshun) – Root: בקש; Form: Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine plural + suffix; Translation: “you seek”; Notes: Intensive form, expressing strong desire or search.
- וַיֹּלֶךְ (va-yolekh) – Root: הלך; Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he led”; Notes: Elisha’s action following his speech.
- אֹותָם (otam) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the Arameans.
- שֹׁמְרֹונָה (Shomeronah) – Root: שמרון; Form: Proper noun with locative he ending; Translation: “to Shomeron”; Notes: Capital of the Northern Kingdom, modern Samaria.