וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֗ה דִּבֶּר֙ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַתִּשְׁבִּ֔י ק֣וּם עֲלֵ֔ה לִקְרַ֖את מַלְאֲכֵ֣י מֶֽלֶךְ־שֹׁמְרֹ֑ון וְדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַתֶּם֙ הֹֽלְכִ֔ים לִדְרֹ֕שׁ בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב אֱלֹהֵ֥י עֶקְרֹֽון׃
And the messenger of YHWH spoke to Eliyya the Tishbi, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Shomeron, and speak to them: Is it because there is no God in Yisraʾel that you are going to inquire of Baʿal Zevuv the god of ʿEqron?”
Morphology
- וּמַלְאַ֣ךְ (u-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “And the messenger”; Notes: Refers to a divine messenger or angel.
- יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The personal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- דִּבֶּר֙ (dibber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “spoke”; Notes: Emphasizes communication, often divine command.
- אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֣ה (el-Eliyah) – Root: אל + אליה (ʾel + Eliyyah); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Eliyyah”; Notes: Prophet of YHWH.
- הַתִּשְׁבִּ֔י (ha-Tishbi) – Root: תשבי (Tishbi); Form: Definite noun with article; Translation: “the Tishbi”; Notes: Denotes his origin from Tishbe.
- ק֣וּם (qum) – Root: קום (qum); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Arise”; Notes: A direct command to initiate action.
- עֲלֵ֔ה (ʿaleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “go up”; Notes: Command to ascend or move toward.
- לִקְרַ֖את (liqrat) – Root: קרא (qara); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “to meet”; Notes: Indicates a purpose or direction toward an encounter.
- מַלְאֲכֵ֣י (malʾakhei) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the messengers of”; Notes: Construct form indicating possession.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־שֹׁמְרֹ֑ון (melekh-Shomeron) – Root: מלך + שׁמרון (melekh + Shomeron); Form: Construct chain of masculine singular noun + proper noun; Translation: “the king of Shomeron”; Notes: Refers to the northern kingdom’s monarch.
- וְדַבֵּ֣ר (ve-dabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Conjunction וְ + Piel imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and speak”; Notes: A strong directive form.
- אֲלֵהֶ֔ם (alehem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the messengers of the king.
- הַֽמִבְּלִ֤י (ha-mibbli) – Root: בלי (bli); Form: Interrogative with prefixed definite article; Translation: “Is it because there is no…?”; Notes: Rhetorical question expressing condemnation.
- אֵין־אֱלֹהִים֙ (ein-Elohim) – Root: אין + אֱלֹהִים (ʾein + Elohim); Form: Negative existential particle + noun masculine plural; Translation: “there is no God”; Notes: Implies denial of YHWH’s presence.
- בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (be-Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Yisraʾel”; Notes: Emphasizes divine presence in the covenant nation.
- אַתֶּם֙ (atem) – Root: אתם (atem); Form: Independent personal pronoun 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphatic subject.
- הֹֽלְכִ֔ים (holkhim) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “going”; Notes: Indicates ongoing or habitual action.
- לִדְרֹ֕שׁ (lidrosh) – Root: דרש (darash); Form: Preposition לְ + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to inquire”; Notes: Denotes seeking a divine answer.
- בְּבַ֥עַל זְב֖וּב (be-Vaʿal Zevuv) – Root: בעל + זבוב (Baʿal + Zevuv); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “of Baʿal-Zevuv”; Notes: Pagan deity of ʿEqron, “lord of the flies.”
- אֱלֹהֵ֥י (Elohei) – Root: אֱלֹהִים (ʾElohim); Form: Construct noun masculine plural with suffix; Translation: “the god of”; Notes: Indicates association with a false deity.
- עֶקְרֹֽון (ʿEqron) – Root: עקרון (ʿEqron); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “ʿEqron”; Notes: Philistine city, stronghold of idolatry in this context.