וַיַּ֥עַל מִשָּׁ֖ם בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְה֣וּא עֹלֶ֣ה בַדֶּ֗רֶךְ וּנְעָרִ֤ים קְטַנִּים֙ יָצְא֣וּ מִן־הָעִ֔יר וַיִּתְקַלְּסוּ־בֹו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לֹ֔ו עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵ֖חַ עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵֽחַ׃
And he went up from there to Beit-ʾel, and he was going up on the way, and young boys came out from the city and mocked him, and they said to him, “Go up, baldhead! Go up, baldhead!”
Morphology
- וַיַּ֥עַל (va-yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he went up”; Notes: Refers to Elisha continuing his journey.
- מִשָּׁ֖ם (mi-sham) – Root: שם; Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “from there”; Notes: Indicates departure from the previous location.
- בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל (Beit-El) – Root: בית + אל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “Bet-El”; Notes: A city associated with prophetic and cultic activity.
- וְה֣וּא (ve-hu) – Root: הוא; Form: Conjunction + pronoun masculine singular; Translation: “and he”; Notes: Emphasizes the subject’s continued movement.
- עֹלֶ֣ה (ʿoleh) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “was going up”; Notes: Denotes ongoing motion toward Bet-El.
- בַדֶּ֗רֶךְ (ba-derekh) – Root: דרך (derekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “on the way”; Notes: Describes the path of ascent.
- וּנְעָרִ֤ים (u-neʿarim) – Root: נער (naʿar); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and boys”; Notes: Refers to youths, possibly adolescents.
- קְטַנִּים֙ (qetannim) – Root: קטן (qatan); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “young”; Notes: Modifies “boys” to indicate their age.
- יָצְא֣וּ (yatseʾu) – Root: יצא (yatsa); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they came out”; Notes: Describes their approach from the city.
- מִן־הָעִ֔יר (min-ha-ʿir) – Root: עיר; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “from the city”; Notes: Indicates their origin.
- וַיִּתְקַלְּסוּ־בֹו֙ (va-yitkallesu-vo) – Root: קלס (kalas); Form: Hitpael wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they mocked him”; Notes: Derisive speech or ridicule aimed at Elisha.
- וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they said”; Notes: Introduces the content of the mockery.
- לֹו (lo) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Direct address to Elisha.
- עֲלֵ֥ה קֵרֵ֖חַ (ʿaleh qereach) – Root: עלה + קרח; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “Go up, baldhead!”; Notes: Sarcastic repetition, mocking Elisha’s appearance and perhaps referencing Eliyyahu’s ascent.