וַיְהִ֣י בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י בָּ֣א יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֣ה בֶן־אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע מִזֶּ֣רַע הַ֠מְּלוּכָה וְרַבֵּ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַעֲשָׂרָ֨ה אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אִתֹּ֛ו אֶל־גְּדַלְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־אֲחִיקָ֖ם הַמִּצְפָּ֑תָה וַיֹּ֨אכְלוּ שָׁ֥ם לֶ֛חֶם יַחְדָּ֖ו בַּמִּצְפָּֽה׃
And it came to pass in the seventh month, Yishmaʿel son of Netanya son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the nobles of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedalyahu son of Aḥiqam at the Mitzpa, and they ate bread there together in the Mitzpa.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative introduction formula.
- בַּחֹדֶשׁ (ba-ḥodesh) – Root: חדשׁ (ḥodesh); Form: Preposition ב + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the month”; Notes: Temporal setting.
- הַשְּׁבִיעִי (ha-sheviʿi) – Root: שׁבע (shevaʿ); Form: Ordinal adjective masculine singular with article; Translation: “the seventh”; Notes: Refers to Tishrei.
- בָּא (ba) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “came”; Notes: Marks arrival.
- יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) – Root: ישׁמעאל (Yishmaʿel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yishmaʿel”; Notes: The assassin of Gedalyahu.
- בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה (ben-Netanyah) – Root: נתניה (Netanyah); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Netanyah”; Notes: Patronymic identification.
- בֶּן־אֱלִישָׁמָע (ben-Elishama) – Root: אלישׁמע (Elishama); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Elishama”; Notes: Further genealogy.
- מִזֶּרַע (mi-zeraʿ) – Root: זרע (zeraʿ); Form: Preposition מ + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “of the seed of”; Notes: Lineage reference.
- הַמְּלוּכָה (ha-melukhah) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the kingship, royalty”; Notes: Royal descent emphasized.
- וְרַבֵּי (ve-rabbei) – Root: רב (rav); Form: Conjunction + plural construct; Translation: “and the nobles of”; Notes: Aristocrats or high officials.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers to royal officials.
- וַעֲשָׂרָה (va-ʿasara) – Root: עשר (ʿeser); Form: Conjunction + numeral masculine singular; Translation: “and ten”; Notes: Number of companions.
- אֲנָשִׁים (anashim) – Root: אישׁ (ʾish); Form: Plural masculine noun; Translation: “men”; Notes: Companions of Yishmaʿel.
- אִתֹּו (itto) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Accompanying Yishmaʿel.
- אֶל־גְּדַלְיָהוּ (el-Gedalyahu) – Root: גדליהו (Gedalyahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Gedalyahu”; Notes: Babylonian-appointed governor of Yehudah.
- בֶן־אֲחִיקָם (ben-Aḥiqam) – Root: אחיקם (Aḥiqam); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Aḥiqam”; Notes: Patronymic identification.
- הַמִּצְפָּתָה (ha-Mitzpatah) – Root: מצפה (Mitzpah); Form: Proper noun with locative ending; Translation: “at the Mitzpah”; Notes: Gedalyahu’s seat of governance.
- וַיֹּאכְלוּ (va-yoʾkhelu) – Root: אכל (ʾakhal); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they ate”; Notes: Shared a meal as part of hospitality.
- שָׁם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Location of the meal.
- לֶחֶם (leḥem) – Root: לחם (leḥem); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Symbol of shared fellowship.
- יַחְדָּו (yaḥdav) – Root: יחד (yaḥad); Form: Adverb; Translation: “together”; Notes: Emphasizes communal setting.
- בַּמִּצְפָּה (ba-Mitzpah) – Root: מצפה (Mitzpah); Form: Preposition ב + proper noun with article; Translation: “in the Mitzpah”; Notes: Repetition underscores the place of gathering.