וַיְהִי֩ בַעֲלֹ֨ות הַלַּ֜הַב מֵעַ֤ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וַיַּ֥עַל מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָ֖ה בְּלַ֣הַב הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּמָנֹ֤וחַ וְאִשְׁתֹּו֙ רֹאִ֔ים וַיִּפְּל֥וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם אָֽרְצָה׃
And it came to pass, when the flame went up from the altar toward the heavens, that the angel of YHWH ascended in the flame of the altar, and Manoaḥ and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֩ (va-yehi) – Root: היה (haya); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces the narrative sequence.
- בַעֲלֹ֨ות (baʿalot) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “when going up”; Notes: Marks the action happening concurrently.
- הַלַּ֜הַב (ha-lahav) – Root: להב (lahav); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the flame”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
- מֵעַ֤ל (meʿal) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition; Translation: “from upon”; Notes: Indicates the origin of the flame.
- הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ (ha-mizbeaḥ) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the altar”; Notes: Specifies the source of the flame.
- הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה (ha-shamaymah) – Root: שמים (shamayim); Form: Noun, plural, directional form; Translation: “toward the heavens”; Notes: Indicates upward movement.
- וַיַּ֥עַל (va-yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and ascended”; Notes: Describes the angel’s movement.
- מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָ֖ה (malʾakh-YHWH) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with proper noun; Translation: “the angel of YHWH”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
- בְּלַ֣הַב (be-lahav) – Root: להב (lahav); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “in the flame”; Notes: Specifies how the angel ascended.
- הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ (ha-mizbeaḥ) – Root: מזבח (mizbeaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “of the altar”; Notes: Modifies “flame”.
- וּמָנֹ֤וחַ (u-Manoʾaḥ) – Root: מנוח (Manoʾaḥ); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Manoaḥ”; Notes: Subject of the next clause.
- וְאִשְׁתֹּו֙ (ve-ishto) – Root: אשה (ishah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his wife”; Notes: Also a subject of the clause.
- רֹאִ֔ים (roʾim) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were watching”; Notes: Describes their action.
- וַיִּפְּל֥וּ (va-yippelu) – Root: נפל (nafal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they fell”; Notes: Reaction to the miraculous event.
- עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם (ʿal-penehem) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 3rd person plural suffix; Translation: “on their faces”; Notes: Expression of reverence and fear.
- אָֽרְצָה׃ (ʾartza) – Root: ארץ (ʾeretz); Form: Noun, feminine singular directional form; Translation: “to the ground”; Notes: Indicates their posture.