וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הָאֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל֮ וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ נֶגְדֹּו֒ וַיְעִדֻהוּ֩ אַנְשֵׁ֨י הַבְּלִיַּ֜עַל אֶת־נָבֹ֗ות נֶ֤גֶד הָעָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥ךְ נָבֹ֛ות אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּצִאֻ֨הוּ֙ מִח֣וּץ לָעִ֔יר וַיִּסְקְלֻ֥הוּ בָאֲבָנִ֖ים וַיָּמֹֽת׃
And the two men, sons of worthlessness, came and sat before him, and the men of worthlessness testified against Navot before the people, saying, “Navot blessed God and the king,” and they brought him out outside the city and stoned him with stones, and he died.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they came”; Notes: Introduces the movement of the two witnesses into the scene.
- שְׁנֵי (shenei) – Root: שנים (shenayim); Form: Construct form masculine dual; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the number of the witnesses.
- הָאֲנָשִׁים (ha-anashim) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Identifies them as specific individuals previously described.
- בְּנֵי־בְלִיַּעַל (bene-veliyyaʿal) – Root: בליעל (veliyyaʿal); Form: Construct phrase: “sons of worthlessness”; Translation: “sons of worthlessness”; Notes: Term denoting morally corrupt or lawless men.
- וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (va-yeshvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sat”; Notes: Positions them physically for the accusation.
- נֶגְדּוֹ (negdo) – Root: נגד (neged); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before him”; Notes: Indicates spatial relation to Navot.
- וַיְעִדֻהוּ (va-yaʿiduhu) – Root: עוד (ʿud); Form: Hiphil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they testified against him”; Notes: Legal testimony or accusation.
- אַנְשֵׁי הַבְּלִיַּעַל (anshei ha-veliyyaʿal) – Root: בליעל (veliyyaʿal); Form: Construct noun phrase with definite article; Translation: “the men of worthlessness”; Notes: Identifies the witnesses as corrupt.
- אֶת־נָבֹות (et-Navot) – Root: נבות (Navot); Form: Accusative marker + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Navot”; Notes: Direct object of the testimony.
- נֶגֶד הָעָם (neged ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “before the people”; Notes: Public accusation to ensure communal condemnation.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition לְ; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the specific charge.
- בֵּרַךְ (berakh) – Root: ברך (barakh); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he blessed”; Notes: Euphemism meaning “he cursed” in judicial accusations.
- נָבֹות (Navot) – Root: נבות (Navot); Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Navot”; Notes: Subject of the accusation.
- אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) – Root: אלה (ʾeloh); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Here referring to YHWH.
- וָמֶלֶךְ (va-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the king”; Notes: Cursing both divine and royal authority was a capital offense.
- וַיֹּצִאֻהוּ (va-yotziʾuhu) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Hiphil wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they brought him out”; Notes: Removed him from the city for execution.
- מִחוּץ לָעִיר (mi-ḥutz la-ʿir) – Root: חוץ (ḥutz); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular + preposition לְ + definite noun; Translation: “outside the city”; Notes: Execution traditionally took place outside the community limits.
- וַיִּסְקְלֻהוּ (va-yisqeluhu) – Root: סקל (saqal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they stoned him”; Notes: Prescribed method of execution for blasphemy.
- בָּאֲבָנִים (ba-avanīm) – Root: אבן (even); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine plural; Translation: “with stones”; Notes: Instruments of the stoning.
- וַיָּמֹת (va-yamot) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he died”; Notes: Result of the execution, concluding the judgment.