וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּ֜י מִתֹּשָׁבֵ֣י גִלְעָד֮ אֶל־אַחְאָב֒ חַי־יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו אִם־יִהְיֶ֛ה הַשָּׁנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה טַ֣ל וּמָטָ֑ר כִּ֖י אִם־לְפִ֥י דְבָרִֽי׃ ס
And Eliyahu the Tishbi, from the settlers of Gileʿad, said to Aḥʾav, “As YHWH, the God of Yisraʾel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years except at my word.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר֩ (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Standard narrative introduction of speech.
- אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ (ʾEliyahu) – Root: אליהו (ʾEliyahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyahu”; Notes: Prophet of YHWH, the speaker.
- הַתִּשְׁבִּ֜י (ha-Tishbi) – Root: תשבי (Tishbi); Form: Definite noun with article; Translation: “the Tishbi”; Notes: Denotes origin from Tishbe.
- מִתֹּשָׁבֵ֣י (mi-toshavei) – Root: ישב (yashav); Form: Preposition + plural participle construct; Translation: “from the settlers of”; Notes: Describes residence among a population.
- גִלְעָד (Gilʿad) – Root: גלעד (Gilʿad); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Gilʿad”; Notes: Region east of the Jordan River.
- אֶל־אַחְאָב (el-Aḥʾav) – Root: אחאב (Aḥʾav); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Aḥʾav”; Notes: Recipient of Eliyahu’s proclamation.
- חַי־יְהוָ֞ה (ḥai-YHWH) – Root: חי (ḥai), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Interjection + proper noun; Translation: “As YHWH lives”; Notes: Oath formula.
- אֱלֹהֵ֤י (ʾElohei) – Root: אלה (ʾelohim); Form: Construct plural noun + 3ms suffix; Translation: “God of”; Notes: Genitive construction.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The covenant people of YHWH.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
- עָמַ֣דְתִּי (ʿamadti) – Root: עמד (ʿamad); Form: Qal perfect 1cs; Translation: “I stood”; Notes: Indicates prophetic presence and service.
- לְפָנָ֔יו (lefanav) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + noun with 3ms suffix; Translation: “before Him”; Notes: Indicates reverence or service before YHWH.
- אִם־יִהְיֶ֛ה (ʾim-yiheyeh) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Conditional particle + Qal imperfect 3ms; Translation: “if there will be”; Notes: Conditional oath clause.
- הַשָּׁנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה (ha-shanim ha-eleh) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Definite plural noun + demonstrative; Translation: “these years”; Notes: Time frame for the drought.
- טַ֣ל וּמָטָ֑ר (tal u-matar) – Root: טל (tal), מטר (matar); Form: Coordinated nouns; Translation: “dew or rain”; Notes: Symbols of agricultural blessing withheld.
- כִּ֖י אִם־לְפִ֥י דְבָרִֽי (ki im-lefi devari) – Root: פה (peh), דבר (davar); Form: Preposition + construct + noun with 1cs suffix; Translation: “except by my word”; Notes: Asserts prophetic authority.