וָֽאֶתְנַפַּ֞ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה אֵ֣ת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים הַיֹּ֛ום וְאֶת־אַרְבָּעִ֥ים הַלַּ֖יְלָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְנַפָּ֑לְתִּי כִּֽי־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד אֶתְכֶֽם׃
And I fell down before YHWH for forty days and forty nights, as I had fallen down before, because YHWH had said He would destroy you.
Morphology
- וָֽאֶתְנַפַּ֞ל (va-etnappal) – Root: נפל (naphal); Form: Hitpael imperfect 1st person singular (wayyiqtol); Translation: “And I fell down”; Notes: Reflexive form indicating deliberate submission or prostration.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates being in the presence of someone.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֵ֣ת (et) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker; Translation: Not translated; Notes: Marks the object of the verb.
- אַרְבָּעִ֥ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “forty”; Notes: Indicates a specific duration.
- הַיֹּ֛ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “days”; Notes: Refers to the daytime period.
- וְאֶת־ (ve-et) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Conjunction with direct object marker; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects the two objects.
- אַרְבָּעִ֥ים (arbaʿim) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ); Form: Numeral, masculine plural; Translation: “forty”; Notes: Refers to a specific duration.
- הַלַּ֖יְלָה (ha-lailah) – Root: ליל (lail); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “nights”; Notes: Refers to the nighttime period.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “as”; Notes: Refers to the previous action of falling down.
- הִתְנַפָּ֑לְתִּי (hitnappalti) – Root: נפל (naphal); Form: Hitpael perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I had fallen down”; Notes: Reflexive form, indicating prior submission or prostration.
- כִּֽי־ (ki-) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the action.
- אָמַ֥ר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He had said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s declaration.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד (le-hashmid) – Root: שמד (shamad); Form: Hiphil infinitive construct; Translation: “to destroy”; Notes: Indicates causative action.
- אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (etkhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker with 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.