2 Kings 3:13

Webster's Bible (1833)

Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother. The king of Israel said to him, No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֜ע אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ לֵ֚ךְ אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵ֖י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַ֗ל כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לִשְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לָתֵ֥ת אוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מוֹאָֽב׃

Transliteration

wa-yōʾmer ʾĔlîšāʿ to-king-of-Yiśrāʾēl, what-to-me and-to-you? go to-prophets-of your-father and-to-prophets-of your-mother. wa-yōʾmer to-him king-of-Yiśrāʾēl, ʾal, for-qārāʾ YHWH for-three ha-mĕlākîm ha-ʾēlleh to-give ʾôtām into-hand-of-Môʾāb.

Grammar Details

• *wa-yōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *ʾĔlîšāʿ*: proper name - Elisha
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper name - Israel
• *mah-lî wā-lāk*: interrogative + preposition + 1st singular suffix + conjunction + preposition + 2nd masculine singular suffix - what to me and to you?
• *lēk*: qal imperative, masculine singular - go
• *nĕbîʾê*: masculine plural construct - prophets of
• *ʾal*: negative particle - do not/no
• *qārāʾ*: qal perfect, 3rd masculine singular - he has called
• *YHWH*: divine name - LORD/Yahweh
• *šĕlōšet*: cardinal number, construct - three of
• *ha-mĕlākîm*: definite article + masculine plural noun - the kings
• *ha-ʾēlleh*: definite article + demonstrative pronoun - these
• *lātēt*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - to give
• *ʾôtām*: direct object marker + 3rd masculine plural suffix - them
• *Môʾāb*: proper name - Moab

Word Meanings

• *mah-lî wā-lāk*: what have I to do with you?/why are you coming to me?
• *lēk*: go/depart
• *ʾal*: no/do not [say that]
• *qārāʾ*: called/summoned/brought together

Referenced Verses

• 1 Kgs 18:19 : 19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table.
• 1 Kgs 22:6 : 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
• 1 Kgs 22:10-11 : 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed.
• 1 Kgs 22:22-25 : 22 Yahweh said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.' 23 Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you. 24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you? 25 Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.
• 2 Kgs 3:10 : 10 The king of Israel said, Alas! for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
• Prov 1:28 : 28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
• Jer 2:27-28 : 27 who tell a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me forth: for they have turned their back to me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. 28 But where are your gods that you have made you? let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble: for according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah.
• Ezek 14:3-5 : 3 Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them? 4 Therefore speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols; 5 that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
• Hos 6:1 : 1 "Come, and let us return to Yahweh; For he has torn us to pieces, And he will heal us; He has injured us, And he will bind up our wounds.
• Matt 8:29 : 29 Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
• John 2:4 : 4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come."
• 2 Cor 5:16 : 16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.
• 2 Cor 6:15 : 15 What agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?
• Deut 32:37-39 : 37 He will say, Where are their gods, The rock in which they took refuge; 38 Which ate the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection. 39 See now that I, even I, am he, There is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; There is none who can deliver out of my hand.
• Judg 10:14 : 14 Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.
• Ruth 1:15 : 15 She said, Behold, your sister-in-law is gone back to her people, and to her god: return you after your sister-in-law.