וּנְחַיֶּה֙

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 וּנְחַיֶּה֙

   u-ne-kha-YE

   and we will keep alive
2. clause🔊 אוּלַ֣י נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּ וָפֶ֔רֶד וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃

   u-LAI nim-TSA kha-TSIR u-ne-kha-YE SUS va-FE-red ve-LO na-khe-RIT me-ha-be-he-MA

   perhaps we may find grass and we will keep alive a horse and a mule and not we will cut off or destroy from the cattle or beast
3. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ לֵ֤ךְ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים אוּלַ֣י נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּ וָפֶ֔רֶד וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃

   va-YO-mer a-khA-v el-o-va-de-YA-hu LEKH ba-A-rets el-kol-ma-ye-NE ha-ma-YIM ve-EL kol-ha-ne-kha-LIM u-LAI nim-TSA kha-TSIR u-ne-kha-YE SUS va-FE-red ve-LO na-khe-RIT me-ha-be-he-MA

   and he said Ahab to Obadiah go in the land to all the springs of the water and to all the valleys or wadis perhaps we may find grass and we will keep alive a horse and a mule and not we will cut off or destroy from the cattle or beast

Exegesis

The Piel ūnəḥayyê {וּנְחַיֶּה֙ | ūnəḥayyê} “and we may preserve alive” takes direct objects “horse and mule,” while the negative wəlōʾ nakhriṯ mēhabbehēmāh {וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה | wəlōʾ nakhriṯ mēhabbehēmāh} expresses intent to avert livestock destruction. English renders these modal and directive forms with “may find” and “Travel throughout” to maintain Hebrew emphasis on scope and preservation.

Root and etymology

ח־י־י🔊 chet–yod–yodḥ-y-y

“to live, be alive”

• 🔊 חַיִּיםchayyimlifeGenesis 2:7