וַיָּ֨שָׁב֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה וַיִּמְצָא֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר נִלְחָ֖ם עַל־לִבְנָ֑ה כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י נָסַ֖ע מִלָּכִֽישׁ׃
And Rav-shaqe returned and found the king of Ashshur fighting against Livna, for he had heard that he had departed from Lakhish.
Morphology
- וַיָּ֨שָׁב (va-yashav) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he returned”; Notes: Refers to Rav-shaqeh’s return after his mission.
- רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה (Rav-shaqeh) – Root: Compound title; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Rav-shaqeh”; Notes: An Assyrian official, possibly chief officer or envoy.
- וַיִּמְצָא֙ (va-yimtza) – Root: מצא (matzaʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he found”; Notes: Continues the narrative action of Rav-shaqeh.
- אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ (et-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite direct object marker + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “the king of”; Notes: The object of “he found.”
- אַשּׁ֔וּר (Ashshur) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “Ashshur”; Notes: Refers to the Assyrian empire and its king.
- נִלְחָ֖ם (nilḥam) – Root: לחם (lacham); Form: Nifal participle masculine singular; Translation: “fighting”; Notes: Indicates ongoing battle activity by the king of Ashshur.
- עַל־לִבְנָ֑ה (ʿal-Livnah) – Root: לבנ (livnah); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Livnah”; Notes: Livnah was a fortified city in Yehudah.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason or explanation for the previous action.
- שָׁמַ֔ע (shamaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had heard”; Notes: Causal for the shift in military position.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Subordinate clause connector.
- נָסַ֖ע (nasaʿ) – Root: נסע (nasaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had departed”; Notes: Indicates military movement or withdrawal.
- מִלָּכִֽישׁ (mi-Lakhish) – Root: לכיש (Lakhish); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “from Lakhish”; Notes: Lakhish was a major city conquered by Ashshur.