וַיְהִ֗י כְּבֹ֤א הַסֵּ֨פֶר֙ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּקְחוּ֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִ֑ישׁ וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ אֶת־רָֽאשֵׁיהֶם֙ בַּדּוּדִ֔ים וַיִּשְׁלְח֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃
And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the sons of the king and slaughtered seventy men, and they placed their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Yizreʿel.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative formula introducing an event.
- כְּבֹא (ke-vo) – Root: בוא (b-v-ʾ); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “when came”; Notes: Introduces a temporal clause.
- הַסֵּפֶר (ha-sefer) – Root: ספר (s-p-r); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the letter”; Notes: Refers to the second letter sent by Yehu.
- אֲלֵיהֶם (ʾaleihem) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the elders and nobles in Shomeron.
- וַיִּקְחוּ (va-yiqḥu) – Root: לקח (l-q-ḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they took”; Notes: First action in response to the letter’s command.
- אֶת־בְּנֵי (et-benei) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Direct object + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “the sons of”; Notes: Object of the verb “took.”
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (m-l-k); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to the slain king’s sons, likely Aḥʾav’s.
- וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ (va-yishḥatu) – Root: שחט (sh-ḥ-ṭ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they slaughtered”; Notes: Ritual or violent killing, depending on context.
- שִׁבְעִים (shivʿim) – Root: שבע (sh-v-ʿ); Form: Cardinal number; Translation: “seventy”; Notes: Quantity of royal sons executed.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾ-ʾ-sh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Used here collectively to refer to individuals.
- וַיָּשִׂימוּ (va-yasimu) – Root: שׂים (s-y-m); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they placed”; Notes: Refers to what was done with the severed heads.
- אֶת־רָאשֵׁיהֶם (et-rasheihem) – Root: ראשׁ (r-ʾ-sh); Form: Construct plural noun with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their heads”; Notes: Heads of the slain princes.
- בַּדּוּדִים (ba-dudim) – Root: דוד (d-v-d); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “in the baskets”; Notes: Containers used for transporting the heads, possibly woven baskets.
- וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ (va-yishleḥu) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sent”; Notes: Next step in fulfilling Yehu’s order.
- אֵלָיו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Yehu.
- יִזְרְעֶאלָה (Yizreʿelah) – Root: יזרעאל (Yizreʿel); Form: Proper noun with locative suffix ה; Translation: “to Yizreʿel”; Notes: Indicates destination of the grim delivery.