וַיַּזְעֵ֗ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ בְּנִֽינְוֵ֔ה מִטַּ֧עַם הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וּגְדֹלָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר הָאָדָ֨ם וְהַבְּהֵמָ֜ה הַבָּקָ֣ר וְהַצֹּ֗אן אַֽל־יִטְעֲמוּ֙ מְא֔וּמָה אַ֨ל־יִרְע֔וּ וּמַ֖יִם אַל־יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃
And he cried out and said in Nineve, by the decree of the king and his great ones, saying, “The man and the beast, the cattle and the flock, let them not taste anything; let them not graze, and water let them not drink.”
Morphology
- וַיַּזְעֵק (va-yazʿeq) – Root: זעק (zaʿaq); Form: Hifil wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3ms; Translation: “And he cried out”; Notes: A loud public proclamation.
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3ms; Translation: “and said”; Notes: Introduces the formal decree.
- בְּנִינְוֵה (be-Nineweh) – Root: נינוה (Ninweh); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Nineweh”; Notes: Locates the proclamation.
- מִטַּעַם (mi-ttaʿam) – Root: טעם (taʿam); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “by the decree of”; Notes: Indicates official authority.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: The ruler of Nineweh.
- וּגְדֹלָיו (u-gedolav) – Root: גדל (gadal); Form: Conjunction וְ + adjective masculine plural + suffix 3ms; Translation: “and his great ones”; Notes: Refers to nobles or officials.
- לֵאמֹר (le-emor) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Preposition לְ + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the decree.
- הָאָדָם (ha-adam) – Root: אדם (adam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Refers to human inhabitants.
- וְהַבְּהֵמָה (ve-ha-behemah) – Root: בהם (baham); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the beast”; Notes: Includes domesticated animals generally.
- הַבָּקָר (ha-bakar) – Root: בקר (baqar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the cattle”; Notes: Larger livestock.
- וְהַצֹּאן (ve-ha-tson) – Root: צאן (tson); Form: Conjunction וְ + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the flock”; Notes: Sheep and goats.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “let not”; Notes: Prohibitive command.
- יִטְעֲמוּ (yitʿamu) – Root: טעם (taʿam); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they taste”; Notes: Refers to eating anything at all.
- מְאוּמָה (meʾumah) – Root: אם (ʾum); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “anything”; Notes: Absolute prohibition.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “let not”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- יִרְעוּ (yirʿu) – Root: רעה (raʿah); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they graze”; Notes: Prohibition extends to animals’ feeding.
- וּמַיִם (u-mayim) – Root: מים (mayim); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and water”; Notes: Beverage consumption prohibited.
- אַל (ʾal) – Root: אל (ʾal); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “let not”; Notes: Third parallel negation.
- יִשְׁתּוּ (yishtu) – Root: שתה (shatah); Form: Qal imperfect 3mp; Translation: “they drink”; Notes: Extends the fast beyond food to water itself.