וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֖ה נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֑יא וַיָּבֹא֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ עַל־אַפָּ֖יו אָֽרְצָה׃
And they told the king, saying, “Behold, Natan the prophet.” And he came before the king and bowed to the king with his face to the ground.
Morphology
- וַיַּגִּ֤ידוּ (va-yaggidu) – Root: נגד (nagad); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they told”; Notes: Announcing Natan’s arrival.
- לַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (la-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Recipient of the message.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- הִנֵּ֖ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Demonstrative particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the arrival of Natan.
- נָתָ֣ן (Natan) – Root: נתן (Natan); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Natan”; Notes: Refers to the prophet.
- הַנָּבִ֑יא (ha-naviʾ) – Root: נבא (naviʾ); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the prophet”; Notes: Identifies Natan’s role.
- וַיָּבֹא֙ (va-yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he came”; Notes: Describes Natan’s entrance.
- לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (lifnei ha-melekh) – Root: פן (panim), מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “before the king”; Notes: Indicates presence in the royal court.
- וַיִּשְׁתַּ֧חוּ (va-yishtakhu) – Root: שחה (shakha); Form: Hishtaphel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he bowed”; Notes: Act of deep reverence before the king.
- לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (la-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Object of the bowing gesture.
- עַל־אַפָּ֖יו (ʿal-appav) – Root: אף (aph); Form: Preposition + plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “on his face”; Notes: Indicates complete prostration.
- אָרְֽצָה׃ (artsah) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Noun, feminine singular with directional he; Translation: “to the ground”; Notes: Directional ending emphasizes movement downward in submission.