וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל חִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אַתָּה־ה֤וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכֹ֣ות הָאָ֑רֶץ אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And Ḥizqiyahu prayed before YHWH and said, “O YHWH, God of Yisraʾel, who sits enthroned above the keruvim, you alone are the God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.
Morphology
- וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל (va-yitpallel) – Root: פלל (palal); Form: Hitpael wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he prayed”; Notes: Reflexive form indicating earnest, personal prayer.
- חִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ (Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq) + יה (Yah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: The king of Yehudah, appealing to YHWH in crisis.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition; Translation: “before”; Notes: Indicates prayer was offered directly in the presence of YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- וַיֹּאמַר (va-yomar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and said”; Notes: Begins the direct speech of the prayer.
- יְהוָ֞ה (YHWH) – Root: As above; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Used vocatively in the address.
- אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (ʾelohei Yisraʾel) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Expresses covenant identity and relationship.
- יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים (yoshev ha-keruvim) – Root: ישב (yashav), כרוב (keruv); Form: Participle masculine singular + definite plural noun; Translation: “enthroned above the keruvim”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s presence above the ark in the Most Holy Place.
- אַתָּה־ה֤וּא (attah hu) – Root: Pronouns; Form: Emphatic 2nd person + 3rd person; Translation: “You alone” or “You are He”; Notes: Intensifies the statement of YHWH’s uniqueness.
- הָאֱלֹהִים֙ (ha-ʾelohim) – Root: אלוה (ʾeloah); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the God”; Notes: Stresses exclusivity of YHWH as the true deity.
- לְבַדְּךָ֔ (levaddekha) – Root: בדד (vadad); Form: Adverb with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “alone”; Notes: Underscores monotheistic confession.
- לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכֹ֣ות הָאָ֑רֶץ (le-khol mamlakhot ha-ʾaretz) – Root: מלך (melekh), ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Preposition + noun construct plural + definite noun; Translation: “over all the kingdoms of the earth”; Notes: Declares YHWH’s universal sovereignty.
- אַתָּ֣ה (attah) – Root: Pronoun; Form: 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “You”; Notes: Repeated for rhetorical and theological emphasis.
- עָשִׂ֔יתָ (ʿasita) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “made”; Notes: Acknowledges YHWH as Creator.
- אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (et-ha-shamayim) – Root: שמים (shamayim); Form: Definite noun masculine dual; Translation: “the heavens”; Notes: Part of the created order.
- וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ (ve-et-ha-ʾaretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾerets); Form: Conjunction + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “and the earth”; Notes: Completes the merism declaring YHWH as Maker of all.