1 Kings 18:21:141 Kgs.18.21.W14TAB
וְאִם־הַבַּ֖עַל
veimhabbaal
“but if Baal”
- Transliteration
- ve-im-hab-BA-al
- Extended
- veh-ihm-hahb-BAA-ahl
- IPA
- /vəʔim.hab.baˈʕal/
Meaning by language
- English
- but if Baal
Hebrew · tap a syllable to hear it
Alphabet Analysis
| Vav | v as in vine; marks long ō / ū | |
| Sheva | vocal sheva — a short 'e' (ə), begins a syllable | |
| Aleph | silent — a glottal stop; holds vowel points | |
| Hireq | 'ee' as in machine | |
| Mem Sofit | final form of Mem — at word end | |
| He | h as in house; silent at word end | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Bet | b with dagesh; v without dagesh | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Ayin | deep guttural stop, voiced pharyngeal | |
| Patach | short 'ah' as in father | |
| Lamed | l as in law |
Tap any letter to hear its name and sound
Now you try — trace the word:
The word
Word in context
- word
ve-im-hab-BA-al
- clause
va-yig-GASH e-li-YA-hu el-KOL-ha-AM va-yo-MER ad-ma-TAI a-TEM po-se-KHIM al-she-TEI has-se-i-PIM im-Ye-ho-VAH ha-e-lo-HIM le-KHU a-kha-RAV ve-im-hab-BA-al le-KHU a-kha-RAV
- sentence
va-yig-GASH e-li-YA-hu el-KOL-ha-AM va-yo-MER ad-ma-TAI a-TEM po-se-KHIM al-she-TEI has-se-i-PIM im-Ye-ho-VAH ha-e-lo-HIM le-KHU a-kha-RAV ve-im-hab-BA-al le-KHU a-kha-RAV ve-LO-a-NU ha-AM o-TO da-VAR
Exegesis
This is followed by two parallel conditional clauses, ʾim-YHWH lĕkū {אִם־יְהוָה לְכוּ | ʾim-YHWH ləḵû} and wĕ-ʾim-habbaʿal lĕkū {וְאִם־הַבַּעַל לְכוּ | wə-ʾim-habbaʿal ləḵû}, presenting a binary choice of allegiance.
Root and etymology
ב־ע־ל
“lord, master”
In context — 1 Kings 18:21
And Elijah drew near to all the people and said, “How long will you continue limping on two branches ? If the LORD God is God, follow Him; but if Baal is god, then follow Him.” Yet the people gave him no reply.
About this coordinate
1 Kings 18:21:14 is a BCV:P reference — Book · Chapter · Verse · Word Position. It addresses word 14 of 1 Kings 18:21, so the Hebrew word וְאִם־הַבַּ֖עַל (veimhabbaal) can be cited, linked and studied at exactly this position rather than somewhere in the verse. In the Biblical Knowledge Coordinate System the same position is written 1 Kgs.18.21.W14, which extends further down to each syllable (1 Kgs.18.21.W14.S1) and character.