וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ יֹום־צָרָ֧ה וְתֹוכֵחָ֛ה וּנְאָצָ֖ה הַיֹּ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֣י בָ֤אוּ בָנִים֙ עַד־מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר וְכֹ֥חַ אַ֖יִן לְלֵדָֽה׃
And they said to him, “Thus says Ḥizqiyahu: A day of distress and of rebuke and of disgrace is this day, for the children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to give birth.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (va-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Indicates reported speech by the messengers sent by Ḥizqiyahu.
- אֵלָ֗יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Yeshaʿyahu the prophet.
- כֹּ֚ה (koh) – Root: Demonstrative particle; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces direct speech, often prophetic or royal messages.
- אָמַ֣ר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: The speaker is Ḥizqiyahu; present-tense “says” is idiomatic for fixed proclamation.
- חִזְקִיָּ֔הוּ (Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq) + יה (Yah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: King of Yisraʾel; the speaker of this message.
- יֹום־צָרָ֧ה (yom-tsarah) – Root: יום (yom), צרה (tsarah); Form: Construct noun + absolute noun feminine singular; Translation: “a day of distress”; Notes: Sets the emotional tone of the situation.
- וְתֹוכֵחָ֛ה (ve-tokheḥah) – Root: יכח (yakhaḥ); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “and rebuke”; Notes: Implies divine correction or judgment.
- וּנְאָצָ֖ה (u-neʾatsah) – Root: נאץ (naʾats); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “and disgrace”; Notes: Refers to public humiliation or blasphemy.
- הַיֹּ֣ום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (yom); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “this day”; Notes: Reinforces urgency and current calamity.
- הַזֶּ֑ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers back emphatically to the “day.”
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces causal explanation.
- בָ֤אוּ (vaʾu) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they have come”; Notes: Refers metaphorically to a critical moment.
- בָנִים֙ (banim) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “children”; Notes: Likely metaphorical for the people or outcome of distress.
- עַד־מַשְׁבֵּ֔ר (ʿad-mashber) – Root: שבר (shavar); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the point of birth”; Notes: Mashber can mean a birthing-stool or crisis moment.
- וְכֹ֥חַ (ve-koaḥ) – Root: כח (koaḥ); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “and strength”; Notes: Refers to the necessary power to complete the process.
- אַ֖יִן (ayin) – Root: N/A; Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Indicates complete lack or inability.
- לְלֵדָֽה (le-ledah) – Root: ילד (yalad); Form: Preposition לְ + noun feminine singular (infinitive noun); Translation: “to give birth”; Notes: Culmination of the metaphor for unbearable pressure with no resolution.