וַיָּבֹ֤וא אֵלַי֙ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים מִזִּקְנֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ לְפָנָֽי׃ פ
And men from the elders of Yisraʾel came to me, and they sat before me.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹא (va-yavoʾ) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And came”; Notes: Introduces the action, marking sequential narrative progression.
- אֵלַי (ʾelai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition אֶל + first person common singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates direction toward the speaker, the prophet.
- אֲנָשִׁים (ʾanashim) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “men”; Notes: Refers here to representatives or leaders.
- מִזִּקְנֵי (mi-ziqnei) – Root: זקן (zaqan); Form: Preposition מִן + construct plural masculine noun with assimilation of the nun; Translation: “from the elders of”; Notes: Indicates partitive sense, specifying the group from which the men came.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people, the nation of Israel.
- וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (va-yeshvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sat”; Notes: Marks their settled posture, showing attentiveness before the prophet.
- לְפָנָי (le-fanai) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition לְ + plural noun in construct פָּנִים with 1st person common singular suffix; Translation: “before me”; Notes: Expresses presence and audience, highlighting respect and recognition of prophetic authority.