וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־חֳרֵיהֶ֔ם וְלִשְׁתֹּ֛ות אֶת־שֵׁינֵיהֶ֖ם עִמָּכֶֽם׃
And Rav-shaqe said to them, “Has my lord sent me to your lord and to you to speak these words? Is it not to the men sitting on the wall, to eat their dung and to drink their urine with you?”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Continues Rab-shaqeh’s speech.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם (alehem) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to Elyaqim, Shevna, and Yoʾaḥ.
- רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה (Rav-shaqeh) – Root: Possibly רב + שקה; Form: Title; Translation: “Rab-shaqeh”; Notes: Assyrian commander or high official.
- הַעַ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ (ha-ʿal adonekha ve-elekha) – Roots: על, אדן, אל; Form: Interrogative + prepositions + suffixes; Translation: “to your lord and to you”; Notes: Rhetorical question aimed at deflection.
- שְׁלָחַ֣נִי (shelachani) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person suffix; Translation: “sent me”; Notes: Refers to the Assyrian king’s commission.
- אֲדֹנִ֔י (adoni) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun with 1st person suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: The king of Ashshur.
- לְדַבֵּ֖ר (le-dabber) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to speak”; Notes: Purpose of the sending.
- אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה (et-ha-devarim ha-eleh) – Root: דבר, אלה; Form: Accusative + noun masculine plural + demonstrative; Translation: “these words”; Notes: Refers to the threatening message.
- הֲלֹ֣א (halo) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Is it not?”; Notes: Used rhetorically.
- עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים (ʿal-ha-anashim) – Root: אנש; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the men”; Notes: Citizens or soldiers on the wall.
- הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ (ha-yoshevím) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Definite article + Qal participle masculine plural; Translation: “sitting”; Notes: Describes their posture on the city wall.
- עַל־הַ֣חֹמָ֔ה (ʿal-ha-ḥomah) – Root: חמה; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “on the wall”; Notes: Refers to Jerusalem’s defensive wall.
- לֶאֱכֹ֣ל (leʾekhol) – Root: אכל; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to eat”; Notes: Beginning of crude metaphor.
- אֶת־חֳרֵיהֶ֔ם (et-ḥoreihem) – Root: חרה; Form: Accusative + noun plural + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their dung”; Notes: Graphic expression of famine and siege conditions.
- וְלִשְׁתֹּ֛ות (ve-lishtot) – Root: שׁתה; Form: Conjunction + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “and to drink”; Notes: Parallel to eating above.
- אֶת־שֵׁינֵיהֶ֖ם (et-sheinehem) – Root: שׁין (dialectal for urine); Form: Accusative + plural noun + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their urine”; Notes: Harsh prophetic-style insult meant to demoralize.
- עִמָּכֶֽם (ʿimmakhem) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Implies all in the city will suffer together.