וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ בְּמִ֔י וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנַעֲרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינֹ֑ות וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מִֽי־יֶאְסֹ֥ר הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽתָּה׃
And Aḥʾav said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says YHWH: By the young men of the princes of the provinces.” And he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he said, “You.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces dialogue between Aḥʾav and the prophet.
- אַחְאָב (Aḥʾav) – Root: אחאב (Aḥʾav); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Aḥʾav”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel, recipient of the divine instruction.
- בְּמִי (be-mi) – Root: מי (mi); Form: Preposition בְ + interrogative pronoun; Translation: “By whom?”; Notes: Seeks clarification of the agent for YHWH’s plan.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Prophet’s response to Aḥʾav’s question.
- כֹּה־אָמַר (koh-amar) – Root: כה (koh) + אמר (ʾamar); Form: Adverb + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Standard prophetic formula introducing divine speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of God.
- בְּנַעֲרֵי (be-naʿarei) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Preposition בְ + noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “by the young men of”; Notes: Refers to young attendants or soldiers.
- שָׂרֵי (sarei) – Root: שר (sar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the princes of”; Notes: Leaders or nobles.
- הַמְּדִינוֹת (ha-medinot) – Root: מדינה (medinah); Form: Definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “the provinces”; Notes: Refers to regional administrative areas.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Aḥʾav’s follow-up question.
- מִי־יֶאְסֹר (mi-yeʾsor) – Root: אסר (ʾasar); Form: Interrogative pronoun + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Who shall begin” or “bind”; Notes: Refers here to beginning or engaging in battle.
- הַמִּלְחָמָה (ha-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the battle”; Notes: Refers to the upcoming conflict.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Prophet’s definitive answer.
- אָתָּה (attah) – Root: אתה (attah); Form: Independent pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “You”; Notes: Emphatic, placing the responsibility directly on Aḥʾav.