וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ לְכוּ֙ וְנַפִּ֣ילָה גֹֽורָלֹ֔ות וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛י הָרָעָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָ֑נוּ וַיַּפִּ֨לוּ֙ גֹּֽורָלֹ֔ות וַיִּפֹּ֥ל הַגֹּורָ֖ל עַל־יֹונָֽה׃
And they said, each man to his companion, “Come, and let us cast lots, and let us know for whom this evil is upon us.” And they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Yona.
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces communal speech among the sailors.
- אִ֣ישׁ (ish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾ-y-sh); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man / each man”; Notes: Indicates every sailor is involved.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition אֶל; Translation: “to”; Notes: Marks direction of address.
- רֵעֵ֗הוּ (reʿehu) – Root: רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Noun masculine singular + suffix 3ms; Translation: “his companion”; Notes: Indicates mutual discussion among sailors.
- לְכוּ֙ (lekhu) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Qal imperative 2mp; Translation: “Come!”; Notes: Collective call to action.
- וְנַפִּ֣ילָה (ve-nappilah) – Root: נפל (n-p-l); Form: Conjunction וְ + Hiphil cohortative 1cp; Translation: “and let us cast”; Notes: Cohortative expresses shared intention.
- גֹֽורָלֹ֔ות (goralot) – Root: גורל (g-w-r-l); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “lots”; Notes: Ancient method for determining divine will.
- וְנֵ֣דְעָ֔ה (ve-nedʿah) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Conjunction וְ + Qal cohortative 1cp; Translation: “and let us know”; Notes: Seeking to identify the cause of the calamity.
- בְּשֶׁלְּמִ֛י (be-shelmi) – Root: שלם (sh-l-m); Form: Preposition בְּ + interrogative compound + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for whom / on account of whom”; Notes: Literally “because of whom.”
- הָרָעָ֥ה (ha-raʿah) – Root: רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the evil / calamity”; Notes: Refers to the storm threatening their lives.
- הַזֹּ֖את (ha-zot) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the present crisis.
- לָ֑נוּ (lanu) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition לְ + suffix 1cp; Translation: “upon us”; Notes: Indicates the sailors’ situation.
- וַיַּפִּ֨לוּ֙ (va-yappilu) – Root: נפל (n-p-l); Form: Conjunction וַ + Hiphil wayyiqtol 3mp; Translation: “and they cast”; Notes: Now they act on their proposal.
- גֹּֽורָלֹ֔ות (goralot) – Root: גורל (g-w-r-l); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “lots”; Notes: Exact repetition for narrative emphasis.
- וַיִּפֹּ֥ל (va-yippol) – Root: נפל (n-p-l); Form: Conjunction וַ + Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “and it fell”; Notes: Refers to the outcome of the casting.
- הַגֹּורָ֖ל (ha-goral) – Root: גורל (g-w-r-l); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the lot”; Notes: The divinely guided decision-maker.
- עַל־ (ʿal) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition עַל; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Indicates who is identified as the cause.
- יֹונָֽה (Yonah) – Root: יונה (y-w-n-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yonah”; Notes: The prophet is revealed as the source of the calamity.