וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָעִיר֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִנֵּה־נָ֞א מֹושַׁ֤ב הָעִיר֙ טֹ֔וב כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲדֹנִ֖י רֹאֶ֑ה וְהַמַּ֥יִם רָעִ֖ים וְהָאָ֥רֶץ מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת׃
And the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the location of the city is good, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land causes miscarriages.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (va-yomeru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Refers to the speech of the city’s men directed at Elisha.
- אַנְשֵׁ֤י הָעִיר֙ (anshei ha-ʿir) – Root: אנש + עיר; Form: Construct noun plural + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the men of the city”; Notes: Identifies the local inhabitants.
- אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע (el-Elisha) – Root: אל + אלישע; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Elisha”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of the plea.
- הִנֵּה־נָ֞א (hinneh-na) – Root: הנה + נא; Form: Interjection + entreaty particle; Translation: “Behold now”; Notes: Used to introduce a request or observation.
- מֹושַׁ֤ב הָעִיר֙ (moshav ha-ʿir) – Root: ישׁב + עיר; Form: Noun masculine singular + definite noun; Translation: “the location of the city”; Notes: Refers to the geographical setting.
- טֹ֔וב (tov) – Root: טוב; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “good”; Notes: Describes the favorable setting of the city.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka-ʾasher) – Root: כאשר; Form: Compound conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Introduces a comparison or reference.
- אֲדֹנִ֖י (adoni) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Polite reference to Elisha.
- רֹאֶ֑ה (roʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “sees”; Notes: Current state or perception of Elisha.
- וְהַמַּ֥יִם (ve-ha-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Conjunction + definite noun plural in form; Translation: “but the water”; Notes: Marks a contrast between setting and condition.
- רָעִ֖ים (raʿim) – Root: רעע; Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “bad”; Notes: Describes the contaminated or harmful condition of the water.
- וְהָאָ֥רֶץ (ve-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Conjunction + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the land”; Notes: Physical terrain surrounding the city.
- מְשַׁכָּֽלֶת (meshakkalét) – Root: שׁכל (shakal); Form: Piel participle feminine singular; Translation: “causes miscarriages”; Notes: Suggests barrenness or inability to sustain life.