עַצְמ֣וֹת

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 עַצְמ֣וֹת

   ats-MOT

   bones of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 עַצְמ֣וֹת הַנָּבִ֔יא

   ats-MOT ha-na-VI

   bones of the prophet
3. clause🔊 וַֽיְמַלְּטוּ֙ עַצְמֹתָ֔יו אֵ֚ת עַצְמ֣וֹת הַנָּבִ֔יא אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן׃

   va-ye-mal-TU ats-mo-TAI-v ET ats-MOT ha-na-VI a-sher-BA mish-sho-mre-VON

   so they let escape, they spared his bones bones of the prophet who came from Samaria
4. sentence🔊 וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַנִּ֣יחוּ ל֔וֹ אִ֖ישׁ אַל־יָנַ֣ע עַצְמֹתָ֑יו וַֽיְמַלְּטוּ֙ עַצְמֹתָ֔יו אֵ֚ת עַצְמ֣וֹת הַנָּבִ֔יא אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִשֹּׁמְרֽוֹן׃

   va-YO-mer ha-NI-khu LO ISH al-ya-NA ats-mo-TAI-v va-ye-mal-TU ats-mo-TAI-v ET ats-MOT ha-na-VI a-sher-BA mish-sho-mre-VON

   and he said leave, let be to him a man must not move his bones so they let escape, they spared his bones bones of the prophet who came from Samaria

Exegesis

The Piel imperfect vayemalləṭû {וַיְמַלְּטוּ | wa-yemallə-ṭû} ‘and they spared’ highlights deliberate preservation, with the direct object marker ʾēt {אֵת | ʾēt} clarifying the object ʿaṣmōṯ {עַצְמוֹת | ʿaṣmōṯ} ‘bones’.

Root and etymology

ʿ-ṣ-m🔊 ע־צ־םayin–tsade–mem

“bone, essence”

• 🔊 עֶצֶםʿeṣembone, selfGenesis 2:23