עַתָּה֙ הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עָלִ֛יתִי עַל־הַמָּקֹ֥ום הַזֶּ֖ה לְהַשְׁחִתֹ֑ו יְהוָה֙ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י עֲלֵ֛ה עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ׃
Now, have I come up against this place without YHWH, to destroy it? YHWH said to me, “Go up against this land and destroy it.”’”
Morphology
- עַתָּה֙ (ʿattah) – Root: עת; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Marks rhetorical emphasis in the speaker’s challenge.
- הֲמִבַּלְעֲדֵ֣י (ha-mi-balʿadei) – Root: בלעדי; Form: Interrogative + preposition; Translation: “Have I come without”; Notes: Indicates the speaker is questioning whether his action lacks divine sanction.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name invoked by the Assyrian speaker, ironically claiming divine backing.
- עָלִ֛יתִי (ʿalitiy) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have come up”; Notes: Military idiom for invasion or ascent.
- עַל־הַמָּקֹ֥ום (ʿal-ha-maqom) – Root: קום; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “against the place”; Notes: Refers to Yerushalayim.
- הַזֶּ֖ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the immediate target.
- לְהַשְׁחִתֹ֑ו (le-hashḥito) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Preposition + Hifil infinitive construct + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to destroy it”; Notes: Infinitive indicating purpose of attack.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis; now as subject of speech.
- אָמַ֣ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “said”; Notes: Introduces divine command as claimed by the speaker.
- אֵלַ֔י (elai) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Claimed direct divine communication.
- עֲלֵ֛ה (ʿaleh) – Root: עלה; Form: Qal imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Go up”; Notes: Command form, a supposed divine imperative.
- עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ (ʿal-ha-aretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the land”; Notes: Refers to the land of Yehudah.
- הַזֹּ֖את (ha-zot) – Root: זה; Form: Demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Reinforces specificity of the target.
- וְהַשְׁחִיתָֽהּ (ve-hashḥitah) – Root: שׁחת; Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 2nd person masculine singular + 3rd person feminine singular suffix; Translation: “and destroy it”; Notes: Repetition of the verb to reinforce purpose.