וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכִ֨י שַׁאֲלִי־לָ֤ךְ כֵּלִים֙ מִן־הַח֔וּץ מֵאֵ֖ת כָּל־שְׁכֵנַ֑יִךְ כֵּלִ֥ים רֵקִ֖ים אַל־תַּמְעִֽיטִי׃
And he said, “Go, ask for yourself vessels from outside, from all your neighbors, empty vessels. Do not reduce the number.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Elisha continues speaking to the woman.
- לְכִי (lekhi) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal imperative feminine singular; Translation: “Go”; Notes: Direct command to the woman.
- שַׁאֲלִי־לָךְ (shaʾali-lakh) – Root: שאל (shaʾal); Form: Qal imperative feminine singular + preposition + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “ask for yourself”; Notes: Implies taking personal initiative.
- כֵּלִים (kelim) – Root: כּלי (kli); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “vessels”; Notes: Could refer to jars, containers, or pots.
- מִן־הַח֔וּץ (min-ha-ḥuts) – Root: חוץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “from outside”; Notes: From beyond the woman’s home.
- מֵאֵ֖ת (meʾet) – Root: את; Form: Preposition; Translation: “from”; Notes: Indicates source or origin.
- כָּל־שְׁכֵנַ֑יִךְ (kol-shekhenaikh) – Root: שכן; Form: Noun masculine plural construct + 2nd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “all your neighbors”; Notes: Refers to all those nearby from whom she could borrow.
- כֵּלִים רֵקִים (kelim reqim) – Root: כּלי + ריק; Form: Noun plural + adjective plural; Translation: “empty vessels”; Notes: Specifies the type of vessel required—usable, not already full.
- אַל־תַּמְעִיטִי (ʾal-tamʿiṭi) – Root: מעט (maʿaṭ); Form: Negative particle + Hifil imperfect 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “do not reduce” or “do not ask for too few”; Notes: Encourages boldness in requesting many vessels.