אֹכְלֵ֖י

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 אֹכְלֵ֖י

   o-khe-LE

   eaters of
2. clause🔊 וְאֶת־נְבִיאֵ֨י הַבַּ֜עַל אַרְבַּ֧ע מֵא֣וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֗ים וּנְבִיאֵ֤י הָֽאֲשֵׁרָה֙ אַרְבַּ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת אֹכְלֵ֖י שֻׁלְחַ֥ן אִיזָֽבֶל׃

   ve-et-ne-vi-E ha-ba-AL ar-BA me-OT va-kha-mi-SHIM u-ne-vi-E ha-a-she-RA ar-BA me-OT o-khe-LE shul-KHAN i-za-VEL

   and the prophets of the Baal four hundreds and fifty and prophets of the Asherah four hundreds eaters of table Jezebel
3. sentence🔊 וְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁלַ֨ח קְבֹ֥ץ אֵלַ֛י אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַ֣ר הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וְאֶת־נְבִיאֵ֨י הַבַּ֜עַל אַרְבַּ֧ע מֵא֣וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֗ים וּנְבִיאֵ֤י הָֽאֲשֵׁרָה֙ אַרְבַּ֣ע מֵא֔וֹת אֹכְלֵ֖י שֻׁלְחַ֥ן אִיזָֽבֶל׃

   ve-a-TA she-LAKH ke-VOTS e-LAI et-KAL-yis-ra-EL el-HAR ha-kar-MEL ve-et-ne-vi-E ha-ba-AL ar-BA me-OT va-kha-mi-SHIM u-ne-vi-E ha-a-she-RA ar-BA me-OT o-khe-LE shul-KHAN i-za-VEL

   and now send gather to me all Israel to mount or mountain of the Carmel and the prophets of the Baal four hundreds and fifty and prophets of the Asherah four hundreds eaters of table Jezebel

Exegesis

Finally, ōkhlê {אֹכְלֵי | ōkhlê} ‘eaters of’ modifies šulḥān ʾīzāḇēl {שֻּלְחַן אִיזָבֶל | šulḥān ʾīzāḇēl} ‘Jezebel’s table’, denoting royal patronage. The sequence of dual commands, precise numbering, and strategic locale heighten the confrontation motif.

Root and etymology

ʾ-k-l🔊 א־כ־לʾ-k-l

“to eat, consume”

• 🔊 מַאֲכָלmaʾăkālfoodGenesis 2:9