וַיִּקְבֹּ֨ץ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֶֽת־הַנְּבִיאִים֮ כְּאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵאֹ֣ות אִישׁ֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם הַאֵלֵ֞ךְ עַל־רָמֹ֥ת גִּלְעָ֛ד לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אִם־אֶחְדָּ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ עֲלֵ֔ה וְיִתֵּ֥ן אֲדֹנָ֖י בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
And the king of Yisraʾel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramot Gileʿad to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
Morphology
- וַיִּקְבֹּץ (va-yiqbotz) – Root: קבץ (qavatz); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he gathered”; Notes: Describes Aḥav’s assembly of prophetic voices.
- מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (melekh-Yisraʾel) – Root: מלך (melekh), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun phrase; Translation: “king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to Aḥav.
- אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים (et-ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא (naviʾ); Form: Accusative marker + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: Likely court prophets favorable to the king.
- כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ (ke-arbaʿ meʾot ish) – Root: ארבע (arbaʿ), מאות (meʾot), איש (ʾish); Form: Preposition + numeral + noun feminine plural + noun masculine singular; Translation: “about four hundred men”; Notes: Describes the large number of prophets.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Transition to Aḥav’s inquiry.
- אֲלֵהֶם (alehem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the prophets.
- הַאֵלֵךְ (ha-elekh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Interrogative הַ + Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “Shall I go?”; Notes: Direct question seeking divine direction.
- עַל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד (ʿal-Ramot Gilʿad) – Root: רמה (ramah), גלעד (Gilʿad); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Ramot-Gilʿad”; Notes: The military objective.
- לַמִּלְחָמָה (la-milḥamah) – Root: לחם (laḥam); Form: Preposition לְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “to battle”; Notes: Indicates purpose of the campaign.
- אִם־אֶחְדָּל (im-eḥdal) – Root: חדל (ḥadal); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “or shall I refrain?”; Notes: Presents alternative course of action.
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Prophets’ unanimous answer.
- עֲלֵה (ʿaleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Go up!”; Notes: Command affirming the king’s initiative.
- וְיִתֵּן (ve-yitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and he will give”; Notes: Refers to divine favor in victory.
- אֲדֹנָי (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural (with singular meaning) in construct with divine reverence; Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Standard reverent title for God in prophetic speech.
- בְּיַד (be-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “into the hand of”; Notes: Idiom of military conquest and control.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to Aḥav, who will supposedly be given victory.