וְאֵ֣יךְ תָּשִׁ֗יב אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י הַקְּטַנִּ֑ים וַתִּבְטַ֤ח לְךָ֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם לְרֶ֖כֶב וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים׃
And how will you turn back the face of one officer among the least of the servants of my lord? Yet you trust in Mitsrayim for chariots and for horsemen!
Morphology
- וְאֵ֣יךְ (veʾeikh) – Root: איך; Form: Conjunction + interrogative adverb; Translation: “And how?”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical challenge or taunt.
- תָּשִׁ֗יב (tashiv) – Root: שׁוב; Form: Hifil imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “will you turn back” or “repel”; Notes: Refers to resistance or response in conflict.
- אֵ֠ת פְּנֵ֨י (et-penei) – Root: פנה; Form: Accusative marker + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “the face of”; Notes: Idiom for confronting or opposing someone.
- פַחַ֥ת אַחַ֛ד (paḥat eḥad) – Root: פחה, אחד; Form: Noun masculine singular construct + cardinal number; Translation: “one officer”; Notes: A single provincial leader or commander.
- עַבְדֵ֥י אֲדֹנִ֖י (ʿavdei adoni) – Root: עבד, אדן; Form: Construct plural noun + noun with 1st person suffix; Translation: “of the servants of my lord”; Notes: Refers to the subordinates of the king of Ashshur.
- הַקְּטַנִּ֑ים (ha-qetannim) – Root: קטן; Form: Definite adjective masculine plural; Translation: “the least”; Notes: Emphasizes the low rank of even this opponent.
- וַתִּבְטַ֤ח (va-tivtaḥ) – Root: בטח; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you trusted”; Notes: Introduces contrast between boasting and reality.
- לְךָ֙ (lekha) – Root: ל; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Reflexive emphasis on personal trust.
- עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם (ʿal-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “on Mitsrayim”; Notes: Object of misplaced trust, as in previous verses.
- לְרֶ֖כֶב (le-rekhev) – Root: רכב; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “for chariots”; Notes: Symbol of military power.
- וּלְפָרָשִֽׁים (u-lefarashim) – Root: פרשׁ; Form: Conjunction + preposition + plural noun masculine; Translation: “and for horsemen”; Notes: Additional component of cavalry support.