Jeremiah 40:15

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Nevi’im

וְיֹוחָנָ֣ן בֶּן־קָרֵ֡חַ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ֩ בַסֵּ֨תֶר בַּמִּצְפָּ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר אֵ֤לְכָה נָּא֙ וְאַכֶּה֙ אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֔ה וְאִ֖ישׁ לֹ֣א יֵדָ֑ע לָ֧מָּה יַכֶּ֣כָּה נֶּ֗פֶשׁ וְנָפֹ֨צוּ֙ כָּל־יְהוּדָ֔ה הַנִּקְבָּצִ֣ים אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאָבְדָ֖ה שְׁאֵרִ֥ית יְהוּדָֽה׃

And Yoḥanan son of Qareaḥ spoke to Gedalyahu in secret at the Mitzpa, saying, “Let me go now, and I will strike Yishmaʿel son of Netanya, and no man shall know. Why should he strike you dead, and all Yehuda that are gathered to you be scattered, and the remnant of Yehuda perish?”

 

Morphology

  1. וְיֹוחָנָן (ve-Yoḥanan) – Root: יוחנן (Yoḥanan); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Yoḥanan”; Notes: The leader proposing to eliminate the threat.
  2. בֶּן־קָרֵחַ (ben-Qareach) – Root: קרח (Qareach); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Qareach”; Notes: Patronymic designation.
  3. אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “spoke”; Notes: Narrative verb introducing speech.
  4. אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ (el-Gedalyahu) – Root: גדליהו (Gedalyahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Gedalyahu”; Notes: Recipient of the proposal.
  5. בַסֵּתֶר (va-seter) – Root: סתר (seter); Form: Preposition ב + noun masculine singular with article; Translation: “in secret”; Notes: Confidential setting of the conversation.
  6. בַּמִּצְפָּה (ba-Mitzpah) – Root: מצפה (Mitzpah); Form: Preposition ב + proper noun with article; Translation: “at the Mitzpah”; Notes: Gedalyahu’s administrative center.
  7. לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with ל; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Formula introducing direct speech.
  8. אֵלְכָה (ʾelkhah) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “let me go”; Notes: Expresses volition.
  9. נָּא (na) – Root: particle; Form: Enclitic particle; Translation: “now, please”; Notes: Polite or urgent request marker.
  10. וְאַכֶּה (ve-ʾakkeh) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “and I will strike”; Notes: Expresses intent to kill Yishmaʿel.
  11. אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵאל (et-Yishmaʿel) – Root: ישׁמעאל (Yishmaʿel); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Yishmaʿel”; Notes: The target of the proposed assassination.
  12. בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה (ben-Netanyah) – Root: נתניה (Netanyah); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Netanyah”; Notes: Patronymic identifier.
  13. וְאִישׁ (ve-ʾish) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and no man”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
  14. לֹא (lo) – Root: לא (lo); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb.
  15. יֵדָע (yedaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “shall know”; Notes: Refers to secrecy of the act.
  16. לָמָּה (lammah) – Root: מה (mah); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces rhetorical question.
  17. יַכֶּכָּה (yakkekha) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “should he strike you”; Notes: Refers to the assassination threat to Gedalyahu.
  18. נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) – Root: נפשׁ (nefesh); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “dead (life)”; Notes: Idiomatic for taking a life.
  19. וְנָפֹצוּ (ve-nafotzu) – Root: פוץ (putz); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural (or wayyiqtol jussive nuance); Translation: “and be scattered”; Notes: Consequence of Gedalyahu’s death.
  20. כָּל־יְהוּדָה (kol-Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Construct noun “all” + proper noun; Translation: “all Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the community gathered to Gedalyahu.
  21. הַנִּקְבָּצִים (ha-niqbatstim) – Root: קבץ (qavats); Form: Nifal participle masculine plural definite; Translation: “who are gathered”; Notes: Refers to returnees around Gedalyahu.
  22. אֵלֶיךָ (eleikha) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Directed to Gedalyahu.
  23. וְאָבְדָה (ve-ʾavedah) – Root: אבד (ʾavad); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and perish”; Notes: Refers to destruction of the remnant.
  24. שְׁאֵרִית (sheʾerit) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “remnant”; Notes: Survivors of Yehudah.
  25. יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה (Yehudah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: The southern kingdom.

 

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