וַיִּשְׁנ֔וּ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וַיִּשְׁנ֔וּ

   va-yish-NU

   and they did {it} a second time
2. clause🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁנוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁנ֔וּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שַׁלֵּ֖שׁוּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽשׁוּ׃

   va-yo-MER she-NU va-yish-NU va-yo-MER shal-LE-shu va-ye-shal-LE-shu

   and he said do {it} a second time and they did {it} a second time and he said do {it} a third time and they did {it} a third time
3. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מִלְא֨וּ אַרְבָּעָ֤ה כַדִּים֙ מַ֔יִם וְיִֽצְק֥וּ עַל־הָעֹלָ֖ה וְעַל־הָעֵצִ֑ים וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שְׁנוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁנ֔וּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר שַׁלֵּ֖שׁוּ וַיְשַׁלֵּֽשׁוּ׃

   va-yo-MER mil-E-u ar-ba-A ka-DIM MA-yim ve-yits-KE-u al-ha-o-LA ve-al-ha-e-TSIM va-yo-MER she-NU va-yish-NU va-yo-MER shal-LE-shu va-ye-shal-LE-shu

   and he said fill four jars water and pour upon the burnt offering and upon the wood and he said do {it} a second time and they did {it} a second time and he said do {it} a third time and they did {it} a third time

Exegesis

Their corresponding vav-consecutive Piel imperfect forms wayyishnu {וַיִּשְׁנ֔וּ | wayyišnû} and veyshalleshu {וַיְשַׁלֵּֽשׁוּ | veyšallešu} report the participants’ compliance. The repetition emphasizes the prophet’s intent to test responsiveness through escalating iterations of the same directive.

Root and etymology

שׁ-נ-ה🔊 shin–nun–he

“to repeat, change”