וַיִּקְצֹ֨ף עָלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לְהַכֹּ֨ות חָמֵ֤שׁ אֹו־שֵׁשׁ֙ פְּעָמִ֔ים אָ֛ז הִכִּ֥יתָ אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם עַד־כַּלֵּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים תַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־אֲרָֽם׃ ס
And the man of God was angry with him and said, “To strike five or six times; then you would have struck Aram until it was consumed. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.”
Morphology
- וַיִּקְצֹף (va-yiqtzof) – Root: קצף (q-ts-p); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he was angry”; Notes: Expresses strong displeasure or indignation.
- עָלָיו (ʿalav) – Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “at him”; Notes: Refers to the king of Yisraʾel.
- אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים (ʾish ha-Elohim) – Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the man of God”; Notes: Refers to Elishaʿ, a prophetic title.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces a rebuke or lament.
- לְהַכֹּות (le-hakkot) – Root: נכה (n-k-h); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to strike”; Notes: Expresses what should have been done.
- חָמֵשׁ (ḥamesh) – Form: Cardinal number feminine; Translation: “five”; Notes: Introduces the hypothetical frequency.
- אֹו־שֵׁשׁ (ʾo-shesh) – Form: Conjunction + cardinal number feminine; Translation: “or six”; Notes: Offers a range for ideal action.
- פְּעָמִים (peʿamim) – Root: פעם (p-ʿ-m); Form: Noun feminine plural; Translation: “times”; Notes: Indicates the number of blows or strikes.
- אָז (ʾaz) – Form: Adverb; Translation: “then”; Notes: Marks consequence or hypothetical result.
- הִכִּיתָ (hikkita) – Root: נכה (n-k-h); Form: Hifil perfect 2ms; Translation: “you would have struck”; Notes: Unreal past conditional.
- אֶת־אֲרָם (et-ʾAram) – Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Aram”; Notes: Enemy nation of Yisraʾel.
- עַד־כַּלֵּה (ʿad-kalleh) – Root: כלה (k-l-h); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “until complete destruction”; Notes: Indicates total defeat.
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “but now”; Notes: Contrasts present reality with missed potential.
- שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים (shalosh peʿamim) – Form: Cardinal number + plural noun; Translation: “three times”; Notes: Actual number of strikes made.
- תַּכֶּה (takkeh) – Root: נכה (n-k-h); Form: Hifil imperfect 2ms; Translation: “you shall strike”; Notes: Predictive imperfect; result of limited obedience.
- אֶת־אֲרָם (et-ʾAram) – Form: Repetition of object phrase; Translation: “Aram”; Notes: Confirms the incomplete victory.