וַיַּעֲנֶ֣ה אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיְדַבֵּר֮ אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַחֲמִשִּׁים֒ וְאִם־אִ֤ישׁ אֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי תֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְתֹאכַ֥ל אֹתְךָ֖ וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַתֹּ֥אכַל אֹתֹ֖ו וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו׃
And Eliyyahu answered and spoke to the captain of fifty, “And if I am a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume you and your fifty.” And fire came down from the heavens and consumed him and his fifty.
Morphology
- וַיַּעֲנֶ֣ה (va-yaʿaneh) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Eliyyahu’s response to the summons.
- אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ (Eliyahu) – Root: אליהו (Eliyahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Eliyyahu”; Notes: Prophet of YHWH.
- וַיְדַבֵּר (va-yedabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he spoke”; Notes: Introduces his speech to the captain.
- אֶל־שַׂ֣ר הַחֲמִשִּׁים (el-sar ha-ḥamishim) – Root: שר + חמש (sar + ḥamesh); Form: Preposition + construct phrase; Translation: “to the captain of fifty”; Notes: Officer commanding the group.
- וְאִם־אִ֤ישׁ אֱלֹהִים֙ אָ֔נִי (ve-im ʾish Elohim ani) – Root: אם + איש + אלהים + אני; Form: Conjunction + conditional particle + noun phrase + pronoun; Translation: “And if I am a man of God”; Notes: Conditional clause invoking divine authority.
- תֵּ֤רֶד (tered) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular (jussive); Translation: “let it come down”; Notes: Refers to the coming of fire from heaven.
- אֵשׁ֙ (ʾesh) – Root: אש (ʾesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “fire”; Notes: Symbol of divine judgment.
- מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (min-ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “from the heavens”; Notes: Indicates divine origin.
- וְתֹאכַ֥ל (ve-toʾakhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and let it consume”; Notes: Continuation of jussive verb form.
- אֹתְךָ֖ (ʾotkha) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Direct object of the consuming fire.
- וְאֶת־חֲמִשֶּׁ֑יךָ (ve-et-ḥamishekha) – Root: חמש (ḥamesh); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + plural noun with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and your fifty”; Notes: The soldiers under the captain’s command.
- וַתֵּ֤רֶד אֵשׁ֙ (va-ttered ʾesh) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And fire came down”; Notes: Narrative confirmation of the fulfilled sign.
- מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם (min-ha-shamayim) – Root: שׁמים (shamayim); Form: Repeated phrase; Translation: “from the heavens”; Notes: Reemphasizes divine source.
- וַתֹּ֥אכַל (va-toʾakhal) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and it consumed”; Notes: Shows that the fire fully executed the judgment.
- אֹתֹ֖ו (oto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to the captain of fifty.
- וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּֽׁיו (ve-et-ḥamishav) – Root: חמש (ḥamesh); Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + plural noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and his fifty”; Notes: Refers to the soldiers under his command.