וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּֽה־נָ֣א הַמָּקֹ֗ום אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place where we are dwelling there before you is too narrow for us.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Refers to the group of prophetic disciples addressing Elisha.
- בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים (benei-ha-neviʾim) – Root: בן, נבא; Form: Construct noun plural + definite noun plural; Translation: “the sons of the prophets”; Notes: Disciples or students of the prophets.
- אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע (el-Eliʾshaʿ) – Root: —; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Elisha”; Notes: Direct address to the prophet Elisha.
- הִנֵּה־נָא (hinneh-na) – Root: —; Form: Interjection + particle of entreaty; Translation: “Behold now”; Notes: Polite appeal or announcement.
- הַמָּקוֹם (ha-maqom) – Root: קום; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the place”; Notes: The current dwelling site.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: —; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause.
- אֲנַחְנוּ (anaḥnu) – Root: —; Form: Independent pronoun 1st person plural; Translation: “we”; Notes: Subject of the verb “are dwelling.”
- יֹשְׁבִים (yoshevīm) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “dwelling”; Notes: Describes their present condition.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers to the location mentioned.
- לְפָנֶיךָ (lefanekha) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “before you”; Notes: Indicates presence before Elisha, both literally and as disciples.
- צַר (tsar) – Root: צרר; Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “narrow”; Notes: Insufficient or cramped for their numbers.
- מִמֶּנּוּ (mimmennu) – Root: מן; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “for us”; Notes: The place is too small relative to their size.