וַיַּגֵּ֤ד הַצֹּפֶה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֥א עַד־אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹֽא־שָׁ֑ב וְהַמִּנְהָ֗ג כְּמִנְהַג֙ יֵה֣וּא בֶן־נִמְשִׁ֔י כִּ֥י בְשִׁגָּעֹ֖ון יִנְהָֽג׃
And the watchman reported, saying, “He came up to them, but he does not return, and the driving is like the driving of Yehu son of Nimshi, for he drives madly.”
Morphology
- וַיַּגֵּד (va-yagged) – Root: נגד; Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he reported”; Notes: The watchman gives his second update.
- הַצֹּפֶה (ha-tsofeh) – Root: צפה; Form: Definite article + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “the watchman”; Notes: Subject of the reporting verb.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- בָּא (ba) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “he came”; Notes: Refers to the second rider’s approach to Yehu.
- עַד־אֲלֵיהֶם (ʿad-alehem) – Roots: עד, אל; Form: Preposition + preposition + 3mp suffix; Translation: “up to them”; Notes: Indicates proximity reached.
- וְלֹא־שָׁב (ve-lo shav) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “but he does not return”; Notes: Signals suspicious behavior.
- וְהַמִּנְהָג (ve-ha-minhag) – Root: נהג; Form: Conjunction + definite noun; Translation: “and the driving”; Notes: Describes the motion observed from afar.
- כְּמִנְהַג יֵהוּא (ke-minhag Yehu) – Roots: נהג, יהוא; Form: Preposition + noun in construct + proper noun; Translation: “like the driving of Yehu”; Notes: Recognizable by his erratic manner.
- בֶן־נִמְשִׁי (ben-Nimshi) – Root: נמשי; Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Nimshi”; Notes: Genealogical identification of Yehu.
- כִּי (ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason or explanation.
- בְשִׁגָּעֹון (be-shiggaʿon) – Root: שׁגע; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “madness”; Notes: Refers to reckless or erratic behavior.
- יִנְהָג (yinheg) – Root: נהג; Form: Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “he drives”; Notes: Ongoing or habitual action characteristic of Yehu.