וַיְהִי֙ בְּהַכְרִ֣ית אִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֖ת נְבִיאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֨ח עֹבַדְיָ֜הוּ מֵאָ֣ה נְבִאִ֗ים וַֽיַּחְבִּיאֵ֞ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה וְכִלְכְּלָ֖ם לֶ֥חֶם וָמָֽיִם׃
And it came to pass when Izevel cut off the prophets of YHWH, that ʿOvadyahu took one hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and sustained them with bread and water.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֙ (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative introduction to a new event.
- בְּהַכְרִ֣ית (be-hakrit) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Hifil infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “when [she] cut off”; Notes: Refers to a violent purge or extermination.
- אִיזֶ֔בֶל (Izevel) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Proper name; Translation: “Izevel”; Notes: Queen and wife of Aḥʾav.
- אֵ֖ת נְבִיאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה (et-neviʾei YHWH) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Direct object marker + construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the prophets of YHWH”; Notes: Targets of Izevel’s violence.
- וַיִּקַּ֨ח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he took”; Notes: Refers to ʿOvadyahu’s protective action.
- עֹבַדְיָ֜הוּ (ʿOvadyahu) – Root: עבד (ʿavad) + יהו (Yahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿOvadyahu”; Notes: Devout servant of YHWH in Aḥʾav’s house.
- מֵאָ֣ה נְבִאִ֗ים (meʾah neviʾim) – Root: נבא (navaʾ); Form: Numeral + noun plural; Translation: “one hundred prophets”; Notes: The number rescued.
- וַֽיַּחְבִּיאֵ֞ם (va-yakhbiʾem) – Root: חבא (ḥavaʾ); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol 3ms + 3mp suffix; Translation: “and he hid them”; Notes: Protective concealment from danger.
- חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ (ḥamishim ish) – Root: חמש (ḥamesh), איש (ish); Form: Numeral + noun; Translation: “fifty men”; Notes: Indicates grouping for concealment.
- בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה (ba-meʿarah) – Root: מערה (meʿarah); Form: Preposition + definite noun, feminine singular; Translation: “in the cave”; Notes: Hiding place used for safety.
- וְכִלְכְּלָ֖ם (ve-kilkelam) – Root: כלל (kalal); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3ms + 3mp suffix; Translation: “and he sustained them”; Notes: Provided ongoing support.
- לֶ֥חֶם וָמָֽיִם (leḥem va-mayim) – Root: לחם (leḥem), מים (mayim); Form: Coordinated nouns; Translation: “bread and water”; Notes: Basic provisions ensuring survival.