וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶלְיָקִ֣ים בֶּן־֠חִלְקִיָּהוּ וְשֶׁבְנָ֨ה וְיֹואָ֜ח אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ אֲרָמִ֔ית כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר עִמָּ֨נוּ֙ יְהוּדִ֔ית בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה׃
Then Elyaqim son of Ḥilqiyyahu and Shevna and Yoʾaḥ said to Rav-shaqe, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; and do not speak with us in Yehudit in the ears of the people who are on the wall.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Then he said”; Notes: Narrative continuation introducing their request.
- אֶלְיָקִ֣ים (Elyaqim) – Root: —; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Elyaqim”; Notes: Chief official of Ḥizqiyyahu.
- בֶּן־חִלְקִיָּהוּ (ben-Ḥilqiyyahu) – Root: בן, חלקיה; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Ḥilqiyyahu”; Notes: Patronymic identification.
- וְשֶׁבְנָה (ve-Shevna) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Shevna”; Notes: The scribe or secretary.
- וְיֹואָח (ve-Yoʾaḥ) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and Yoʾaḥ”; Notes: The recorder.
- אֶל־רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה (el-Rav-shaqeh) – Root: רב, שקה; Form: Preposition + compound title; Translation: “to Rab-shaqeh”; Notes: Assyrian spokesman.
- דַּבֶּר־נָ֤א (dabber-na) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel imperative masculine singular + entreaty particle; Translation: “Please speak”; Notes: Polite directive.
- אֶל־עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ (el-ʿavadeikha) – Root: עבד; Form: Preposition + plural construct noun + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your servants”; Notes: Formal self-designation.
- אֲרָמִ֔ית (Aramit) – Root: ארם; Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “Aramaic”; Notes: Diplomatic language of the time.
- כִּ֥י שֹׁמְעִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ (ki shomʿim anakhnu) – Root: שמע; Form: Conjunction + Qal participle masculine plural + pronoun 1st person plural; Translation: “for we understand it”; Notes: Explanation for the request.
- וְאַל־תְּדַבֵּ֤ר (veʾal-tedabber) – Root: דבר; Form: Conjunction + negative particle + Piel imperfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and do not speak”; Notes: Request to avoid public provocation.
- עִמָּ֨נוּ (ʿimmanu) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Refers to the Judean officials.
- יְהוּדִ֔ית (Yehudit) – Root: יהודה; Form: Adjective feminine; Translation: “in the Judean language”; Notes: Common language of the people in Yerushalayim.
- בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם (beʾoznei ha-ʿam) – Root: אזן, עם; Form: Preposition + construct noun plural + definite noun; Translation: “in the ears of the people”; Notes: Implies the people might panic if they understand.
- אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָֽה (ʾasher ʿal-ha-ḥomah) – Root: אשר, חמה; Form: Relative pronoun + preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “who are on the wall”; Notes: Soldiers or listeners positioned defensively on the city wall.