טּֽוֹב׃

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 טּֽוֹב׃

   TOV

   good or favorably
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 וְדִבַּ֥רְתָּ טּֽוֹב׃

   ve-dib-BAR-ta TOV

   and you shall speak good or favorably
3. clause🔊 וִֽיהִי־נָ֧א דְבָרְךָ֛ כְּאַחַ֥ד מֵהֶ֖ם וְדִבַּ֥רְתָּ טּֽוֹב׃

   vi-hi-NA de-var-KHA ke-a-KHAD me-HEM ve-dib-BAR-ta TOV

   and let it be, please your word like one from them and you shall speak good or favorably
4. sentence🔊 וְהַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣ךְ לִקְרֹ֣א לְמִיכָ֗יְהוּ דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֞ה דִּבְרֵ֧י הַנְּבִאִ֛ים פֶּֽה־אֶחָ֥ד ט֖וֹב אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וִֽיהִי־נָ֧א דְבָרְךָ֛ כְּאַחַ֥ד מֵהֶ֖ם וְדִבַּ֥רְתָּ טּֽוֹב׃

   ve-ha-mal-AKH a-sher-ha-LAKH lik-RO le-mi-KHAI-hu di-BER e-LAV le-MOR hi-NE div-RE han-ne-vi-IM pe-e-KHAD TOV el-ha-ME-lekh vi-hi-NA de-var-KHA ke-a-KHAD me-HEM ve-dib-BAR-ta TOV

   and the messenger who went to call or to summon to Micaiah he spoke to him saying behold words of the prophets mouth one or with one mouth good or favorable to the king and let it be, please your word like one from them and you shall speak good or favorably

Exegesis

The construct chain divrei hanneviim peh-echad tov el-hammelekh {דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִאִים פֶּה־אֶחָד טוֹב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ | dib·rê han·nə·vî·ʾîm pē·ʾə̆·ḥā·ḏ tōv ʾel·ham·mê·leḵ} ‘the words of the prophets with one mouth good to the king’ conveys unanimous proclamation of favor toward the monarch.

The jussive expression vi-hi-na de-varekha ke-akhad mehem {וִיהִי־נָא דְבָרְךָ כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם | wî·hī·nā də·wā·re·kā kə·ʾă·ḥăḏ mê·hem} ‘and please let your word be like one of them’ issues a polite request, while ve-dibarta tov {וְדִבַּרְתָּ טּוֹב | wə·dib·bâr·tā tōv} ‘and you shall speak good’ urges conformity. The Hebrew sequence—from topic identification to unanimous declaration to entreaty—structures the messenger’s persuasive appeal.

Root and etymology

t-v-b🔊 ט־ו־בtet-vav-bet

“good, pleasant”

• 🔊 טוֹבָהtôḇâgoodnessPsalm 23:6