וַיִּמְצָא֩ מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֨וּר בְּהֹושֵׁ֜עַ קֶ֗שֶׁר אֲשֶׁ֨ר שָׁלַ֤ח מַלְאָכִים֙ אֶל־סֹ֣וא מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְלֹא־הֶעֱלָ֥ה מִנְחָ֛ה לְמֶ֥לֶךְ אַשּׁ֖וּר כְּשָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֑ה וַֽיַּעַצְרֵ֨הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיַּאַסְרֵ֖הוּ בֵּ֥ית כֶּֽלֶא׃
And the king of Ashshur found in Hoshea a conspiracy, for he had sent messengers to So king of Mitsrayim and had not brought up tribute to the king of Ashshur as year by year, and the king of Ashshur shut him up and bound him in prison house.
Morphology
- וַיִּמְצָא (va-yimtza) – Root: מצא (matza); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he found”; Notes: Refers to uncovering or discovering a hidden matter.
- מֶלֶךְ־אַשּׁוּר (melekh-Ashshur) – Root: מלך (melekh) + אשׁור (Ashshur); Form: Noun construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Ashshur”; Notes: Identifies the subject of the action.
- בְּהֹושֵׁעַ (be-Hoshea) – Root: ישע (Hoshea); Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “in Hoshea”; Notes: Indicates the object of the king’s finding—within him.
- קֶשֶׁר (qesher) – Root: קשר (qashar); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “conspiracy”; Notes: Refers to political rebellion or secret alliance.
- אֲשֶׁר (asher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces an explanatory clause.
- שָׁלַח (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he sent”; Notes: Refers to Hoshea’s action.
- מַלְאָכִים (malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “messengers”; Notes: Envoys or diplomatic agents.
- אֶל־סֹוא (el-So) – Root: Egyptian name; Form: Preposition אֶל + proper noun; Translation: “to So”; Notes: Likely a reference to Osorkon IV or another Egyptian ruler.
- מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם (melekh-Mitsrayim) – Root: מלך (melekh) + מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to the pharaoh of Egypt.
- וְלֹא־הֶעֱלָה (ve-lo-heʿelah) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine singular with negative particle; Translation: “and he did not bring up”; Notes: Hiphil indicates causative—failure to deliver tribute.
- מִנְחָה (minḥah) – Root: מנח (manach); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “tribute”; Notes: Offering or payment from a vassal.
- לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר (le-melekh Ashshur) – Root: לְ (le) + מלך (melekh) + אשׁור (Ashshur); Form: Prepositional phrase; Translation: “to the king of Ashshur”; Notes: Specifies recipient of the tribute.
- כְּשָׁנָה בְשָׁנָה (ke-shanah be-shanah) – Root: שׁנה (shanah); Form: Temporal phrase; Translation: “as year by year”; Notes: Indicates the regularity expected of tribute payments.
- וַיַּעַצְרֵהוּ (va-yaʿatsrehu) – Root: עצר (ʿatsar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he shut him up”; Notes: Refers to detention or confinement.
- מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר (melekh Ashshur) – Root: מלך (melekh) + אשׁור (Ashshur); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “king of Ashshur”; Notes: Subject of the verb “shut him up.”
- וַיַּאַסְרֵהוּ (va-yaʾasrehu) – Root: אסר (ʾasar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he bound him”; Notes: Arrest or official imprisonment.
- בֵּית כֶּלֶא (beit keleʾ) – Root: בית (bayit) + כלא (keleʾ); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “prison house”; Notes: Place of incarceration.