וַיִּוָּעַ֞ץ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ רְחַבְעָ֗ם אֶת־הַזְּקֵנִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ עֹמְדִ֗ים אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה אָבִ֔יו בִּֽהְיֹתֹ֥ו חַ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר אֵ֚יךְ אַתֶּ֣ם נֹֽועָצִ֔ים לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה דָּבָֽר׃
And King Reḥavʿam consulted the elders who had stood before Shelomo his father while he was alive, saying, “How do you advise to answer this people with a word?”
Morphology
- וַיִּוָּעַ֞ץ (va-yivvaʿats) – Root: יעץ (y.ʿ.ts); Form: Nifal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he consulted”; Notes: Passive-reflexive stem used for seeking counsel.
- הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (m.l.k); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- רְחַבְעָ֗ם (Reḥavʿam) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Reḥavʿam”; Notes: Identifies which king is being referred to.
- אֶת־הַזְּקֵנִים֙ (et-ha-zqenim) – Root: זקן (z.q.n); Form: Direct object marker + definite plural noun; Translation: “the elders”; Notes: The experienced advisors.
- אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ (ʾasher-hayu) – Root: היה (h.y.h); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person plural; Translation: “who had been”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause describing the elders.
- עֹמְדִ֗ים (ʿomdim) – Root: עמד (ʿ.m.d); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “standing”; Notes: Indicates continual presence or service.
- אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ (et-penei) – Root: פנים (p.n.y.m); Form: Construct noun, plural; Translation: “before” or “in the presence of”; Notes: Idiomatic expression for serving someone directly.
- שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה (Shelomoh) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shelomoh”; Notes: Refers to the former king.
- אָבִ֔יו (aviv) – Root: אב (ʾ.v); Form: Noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his father”; Notes: Clarifies the familial relation to Reḥavʿam.
- בִּֽהְיֹתֹ֥ו (bi-hyoto) – Root: היה (h.y.h); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “while he was”; Notes: Temporal clause.
- חַ֖י (ḥai) – Root: חיה (ḥ.y.h); Form: Adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “alive”; Notes: Completes the temporal clause.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ.m.r); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אֵ֚יךְ (ʾeikh) – Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “how”; Notes: Asks for advice or method.
- אַתֶּ֣ם (atem) – Form: Pronoun, 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you (plural)”; Notes: Addressing the elders.
- נֹֽועָצִ֔ים (noʿatsim) – Root: יעץ (y.ʿ.ts); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “are advising”; Notes: Active participle expressing current counsel.
- לְהָשִׁ֥יב (lehashiv) – Root: שוב (sh.u.v); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to answer”; Notes: Purpose infinitive indicating intention of advice.
- אֶת־הָֽעָם־הַזֶּ֖ה (et-ha-ʿam ha-zeh) – Root: עם (ʿ.m); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun + demonstrative adjective; Translation: “this people”; Notes: Refers to the delegation of Yisraʾel.
- דָּבָֽר (davar) – Root: דבר (d.b.r); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “a word” or “matter”; Notes: Indicates the response or reply under discussion.