וַיִּקְרַ֤ב אֵלָיו֙ רַ֣ב הַחֹבֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לֹ֖ו מַה־לְּךָ֣ נִרְדָּ֑ם ק֚וּם קְרָ֣א אֶל־אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אוּלַ֞י יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים לָ֖נוּ וְלֹ֥א נֹאבֵֽד׃
And the chief sailor came near to him and said to him, “What is to you, sleeping? Rise, call to your god; perhaps the god will take thought for us, and we will not perish.”
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרַ֤ב (va-yiqrav) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he came near”; Notes: Introduces direct confrontation with Yonah.
- אֵלָיו֙ (elav) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל + suffix 3ms; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Marks the addressee of the rebuke.
- רַ֣ב (rav) – Root: רבב (r-b-b); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “chief”; Notes: The officer in charge of the sailors.
- הַחֹבֵ֔ל (ha-ḥovel) – Root: חבל (ḥ-b-l); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the sailor / shipmaster”; Notes: Literally “the one skilled with ropes.”
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- לֹ֖ו (lo) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 3ms; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Marks Yonah as the recipient.
- מַה־לְּךָ֣ (mah-lecha) – Root: מה (m-h) / ל (l); Form: Interrogative + preposition לְ + suffix 2ms; Translation: “What is to you?”; Notes: Idiomatic: “What is wrong with you?”
- נִרְדָּ֑ם (nirdam) – Root: רדם (r-d-m); Form: Nifal participle masculine singular; Translation: “sleeping”; Notes: Indicates deep or heavy sleep.
- ק֚וּם (qum) – Root: קום (q-w-m); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “Rise!”; Notes: Urgent command repeated from YHWH’s original call.
- קְרָ֣א (qera) – Root: קרא (q-r-ʾ); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “call!”; Notes: Directs Yonah to cry out in prayer.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל; Translation: “to”; Notes: Introduces the object of prayer.
- אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (elohecha) – Root: אלוה (ʾ-l-w-h); Form: Noun masculine plural construct + suffix 2ms; Translation: “your god”; Notes: The pagan captain urges Yonah to pray.
- אוּלַ֞י (ulay) – Root: ולי (ʾ-l-y); Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Expresses hope in uncertainty.
- יִתְעַשֵּׁ֧ת (yitʿashet) – Root: עשת (ʿ-sh-t); Form: Hitpael imperfect 3ms; Translation: “will take thought / will be concerned”; Notes: Rare verb meaning “to give attentive regard.”
- הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים (ha-elohim) – Root: אלוה (ʾ-l-w-h); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the god”; Notes: Used generically by the sailor; not referring to YHWH specifically.
- לָ֖נוּ (lanu) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1cp; Translation: “for us”; Notes: Seeking divine intervention.
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Conjunction וְ + negative particle; Translation: “and not”; Notes: Introduces the hoped-for outcome.
- נֹאבֵֽד (noʾved) – Root: אבד (ʾ-b-d); Form: Qal imperfect 1cp; Translation: “we will perish”; Notes: Expression of fear for the ship’s survival.