וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יֵה֗וּא יַ֤עַן אֲשֶׁר־הֱטִיבֹ֨תָ֙ לַעֲשֹׂ֤ות הַיָּשָׁר֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י כְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּלְבָבִ֔י עָשִׂ֖יתָ לְבֵ֣ית אַחְאָ֑ב בְּנֵ֣י רְבִעִ֔ים יֵשְׁב֥וּ לְךָ֖ עַל־כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
And YHWH said to Yehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My eyes, according to all that was in My heart you have done to the house of Aḥʾav, four generations of your sons shall sit for you on the throne of Yisraʾel.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Introduces divine speech from YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֶל־יֵהוּא (el-Yehu) – Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yehu”; Notes: The recipient of the divine message.
- יַעַן (yaʿan) – Form: Preposition; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the reward.
- אֲשֶׁר־הֱטִיבֹתָ (ʾasher-heṭivotah) – Root: יטב (y-ṭ-b); Form: Relative pronoun + Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “that you have done well”; Notes: Praises Yehu’s obedience to a degree.
- לַעֲשֹׂות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Expresses purpose or result of Yehu’s good action.
- הַיָּשָׁר (ha-yashar) – Root: ישׁר (y-sh-r); Form: Definite adjective masculine singular; Translation: “what is right”; Notes: Moral alignment with YHWH’s will.
- בְּעֵינַי (be-ʿeinai) – Root: עין (ʿ-y-n); Form: Preposition + plural noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “in My eyes”; Notes: Standard idiom for divine approval.
- כְּכֹל (ke-khol) – Root: כל (k-l); Form: Preposition + noun; Translation: “according to all”; Notes: Introduces the full extent of the obedience.
- אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי (ʾasher bilvavi) – Root: לבב (l-v-v); Form: Relative pronoun + noun with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “that was in My heart”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s will or intention.
- עָשִׂיתָ (ʿasita) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have done”; Notes: Completes the conditional phrase affirming Yehu’s action.
- לְבֵית אַחְאָב (le-veit Aḥʾav) – Root: בית / אחאב (b-y-t / ʾ-ḥ-ʾ-v); Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “to the house of Aḥʾav”; Notes: Refers to Yehu’s purge of Aḥʾav’s dynasty.
- בְּנֵי רְבִעִים (benei reviʿim) – Root: בן / רבע (b-n / r-b-ʿ); Form: Construct plural noun + ordinal number plural; Translation: “sons of the fourth generation”; Notes: Promise of dynastic continuation.
- יֵשְׁבוּ (yeshvu) – Root: ישׁב (y-sh-v); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall sit”; Notes: Refers to royal enthronement.
- לְךָ (lekha) – Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Indicates Yehu’s benefit from this promise.
- עַל־כִּסֵּא יִשְׂרָאֵל (ʿal-kisse Yisraʾel) – Root: כסא / ישראל (k-s-ʾ / y-s-r-ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “on the throne of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to kingship over the northern kingdom.