| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav conversive Hitpael imperfect vayitmoded {וַיִּתְמֹדֵ֤ד | va-yit-mō-ḏēd} ‘and he measured himself’, highlighting Elijah’s physical exertion. The prepositional phrase al-hayeled {עַל־הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙ | ʿal-hā-yé-leḏ} ‘upon the boy’ frames the action, and the numeral shalosh peamim {שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִ֔ים | šālōš pə-ʿā-mîm} ‘three times’ functions as an emphatic adverbial. The construction vayikra {וַיִּקְרָ֥א | va-yik-rāʾ} ‘and he called’ plus el-yhwh1 {אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה | ʾel-yə-hō-wāh} ‘to the LORD’ introduces the petition. A shift to direct speech is marked by vayyomar {וַיֹּאמַ֑ר | va-yō-ʾā-mar} ‘and he said’, addressing yhwh2 {יְהוָ֣ה | yə-hō-wāh} ‘LORD’ and elohai {אֱלֹהָ֔י | ʾĕ-lō-hāy} ‘my God’. The particle na {נָא | nāʾ} ‘please’ softens the imperative tashav {תָּשָׁב | tā-šāḇ} ‘let return’, with nefesh-hayeled {נֶֽפֶשׁ־הַיֶּ֥לֶד | ne-pheš-hā-yé-leḏ} ‘soul of the boy’ as direct object. The final locative phrase al-kirbo {עַל־קִרְבּֽוֹ | ʿal-qir-bô} ‘upon his inner part’ specifies where the soul is to return. This sequence, where Elijah’s ritual action precedes his plea, forms a chiastic pattern that intensifies the narrative’s theological impact. |