וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אַמְנֹ֖ון וַיִּתְחָ֑ל וַיָּבֹ֨א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְאֹתֹ֗ו וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַמְנֹ֤ון אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ תָּֽבֹוא־נָ֞א תָּמָ֣ר אֲחֹתִ֗י וּתְלַבֵּ֤ב לְעֵינַי֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י לְבִבֹ֔ות וְאֶבְרֶ֖ה מִיָּדָֽהּ׃
So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick, and the king came to see him. And Amnon said to the king, “Let Tamar my sister come, please, and prepare two cakes before my eyes, that I may eat from her hand.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב (vayyishkav) – Root: שׁכב; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he lay down”; Notes: Narrative past form (wayyiqtol), begins the action.
- אַמְנֹ֖ון (ʾAmnon) – Root: אמנון; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Amnon”; Notes: Son of Dawid.
- וַיִּתְחָ֑ל (vayyitḥal) – Root: חלה; Form: Hitpaʿel wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he pretended to be ill”; Notes: Reflexive stem, indicating feigned sickness.
- וַיָּבֹ֨א (vayyavo) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he came”; Notes: Refers to the king approaching Amnon.
- הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun, masculine singular, definite; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Definite article indicated by ה־.
- לִרְאֹתֹ֗ו (lirʾoto) – Root: ראה; Form: Infinitive construct + 3ms pronominal suffix; Translation: “to see him”; Notes: Purpose construction.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Typical introductory speech verb.
- אַמְנֹ֤ון (ʾAmnon) – Root: אמנון; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Amnon”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis in the narrative.
- אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (el-ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Directional expression.
- תָּבֹוא־נָ֞א (tavo-na) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal jussive 3fs + particle of entreaty; Translation: “let her come, please”; Notes: Request form directed to the king.
- תָּמָ֣ר (Tamar) – Root: תמר; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tamar”; Notes: Sister of Amnon.
- אֲחֹתִ֗י (aḥoti) – Root: אחות; Form: Noun + 1cs suffix; Translation: “my sister”; Notes: Personal reference emphasizing closeness.
- וּתְלַבֵּ֤ב (utelabbeb) – Root: לבב; Form: Piel imperfect 3fs; Translation: “and let her prepare”; Notes: Piel expresses intensiveness—possibly shaping the cakes.
- לְעֵינַי֙ (leʿeinai) – Root: עין; Form: Preposition + plural noun + 1cs suffix; Translation: “before my eyes”; Notes: Indicates presence and visual engagement.
- שְׁתֵּ֣י (shtei) – Root: שנים; Form: Construct feminine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Dual form agreeing with plural object.
- לְבִבֹ֔ות (levivot) – Root: לבב; Form: Noun, feminine plural; Translation: “cakes”; Notes: May refer to heart-shaped or pressed cakes.
- וְאֶבְרֶ֖ה (veʾevreh) – Root: ברא; Form: Piel cohortative 1cs; Translation: “that I may eat”; Notes: Volitional verb form; rare root usage here for “eat.”
- מִיָּדָֽהּ (miyyadah) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition + noun + 3fs suffix; Translation: “from her hand”; Notes: Expresses intimacy or dependence.