OET interlinear 1 KI 17:1

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-participants

וַ⁠יֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ הַ⁠תִּשְׁבִּ֜י מִ⁠תֹּשָׁבֵ֣י גִלְעָד֮

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said ʼĒliy^yāh the,Tishbite one,of_the_resident_aliens_of Gilˊād to/towards ʼAḩʼāⱱ he/it_lived YHWH god_of Yisrael which/who stand before,,him if will_belong the,years the=these dew and,rain that/for/because/then/when if to,the_mouth_of my_word_of,my )

The author is introducing Elijah as a new participant in the story. Your language may have its own way of introducing new participants that you can use in your translation.

Note 2 topic: writing-oathformula

חַי־יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְ⁠פָנָ֔י⁠ו אִם־יִהְיֶ֛ה הַ⁠שָּׁנִ֥ים הָ⁠אֵ֖לֶּה טַ֣ל וּ⁠מָטָ֑ר כִּ֖י אִם־לְ⁠פִ֥י דְבָרִֽ⁠י

he/it_lived YHWH god_of (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said ʼĒliy^yāh the,Tishbite one,of_the_resident_aliens_of Gilˊād to/towards ʼAḩʼāⱱ he/it_lived YHWH god_of Yisrael which/who stand before,,him if will_belong the,years the=these dew and,rain that/for/because/then/when if to,the_mouth_of my_word_of,my )

In order to make a solemn proclamation, following the custom of his culture, Elijah is swearing an oath by stating the first part of a condition (“if”) but not the second part (“then”). Use a natural way in your language to express an oath. In a context such as this, it may be natural to express just the first part of the condition as a negative statement. See how you translated the similar expression “if he will kill his servant” in [1:51](../01/51.md). Alternate translation: [I swear by Yahweh, the God of Israel, to whose face I stand, that there will not be dew or rain these years except by the mouth of my word]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְ⁠פָנָ֔י⁠ו

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said ʼĒliy^yāh the,Tishbite one,of_the_resident_aliens_of Gilˊād to/towards ʼAḩʼāⱱ he/it_lived YHWH god_of Yisrael which/who stand before,,him if will_belong the,years the=these dew and,rain that/for/because/then/when if to,the_mouth_of my_word_of,my )

Here, face represents the presence of Yahweh. Elijah is speaking as if he stood in Yahweh’s presence, the way servants stood in the presence of a king, in order to indicate that he serves Yahweh rather than Baal, whom Ahab worshiped. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [whose servant I am]

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

אִם־יִהְיֶ֛ה הַ⁠שָּׁנִ֥ים הָ⁠אֵ֖לֶּה טַ֣ל וּ⁠מָטָ֑ר כִּ֖י אִם־לְ⁠פִ֥י דְבָרִֽ⁠י

if will_belong if (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said ʼĒliy^yāh the,Tishbite one,of_the_resident_aliens_of Gilˊād to/towards ʼAḩʼāⱱ he/it_lived YHWH god_of Yisrael which/who stand before,,him if will_belong the,years the=these dew and,rain that/for/because/then/when if to,the_mouth_of my_word_of,my )

If, in your language, it would appear that Elijah was making a statement here and then contradicting it, you could reword this as a positive statement. Alternate translation: [only by the mouth of my word will there be dew or rain these years]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

כִּ֖י אִם־לְ⁠פִ֥י דְבָרִֽ⁠י

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said ʼĒliy^yāh the,Tishbite one,of_the_resident_aliens_of Gilˊād to/towards ʼAḩʼāⱱ he/it_lived YHWH god_of Yisrael which/who stand before,,him if will_belong the,years the=these dew and,rain that/for/because/then/when if to,the_mouth_of my_word_of,my )

The phrase by the mouth of my words represents what Elijah would say by using his mouth to speak words. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [unless I say that there will be]