וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע אֶל־תִּרְהָ֤קָה מֶֽלֶך־כּוּשׁ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּ֥ה יָצָ֖א לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם אִתָּ֑ךְ וַיָּ֨שָׁב֙ וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹֽר׃
And he heard concerning Tirhaqa king of Kush, saying, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you.” And he returned and sent messengers to Ḥizqiyahu, saying,
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע (va-yishmaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he heard”; Notes: Refers to the king of Ashshur hearing a report.
- אֶל־תִּרְהָ֤קָה (el-Tirhaqah) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition + proper name; Translation: “concerning Tirhaqah”; Notes: Refers to the king of Kush (Ethiopia/Nubia).
- מֶֽלֶך־כּוּשׁ֙ (melekh-Kush) – Root: מלך (melekh), כוש (Kush); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Kush”; Notes: Identifies Tirhaqah’s royal title.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces quoted report.
- הִנֵּ֥ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to imminent action.
- יָצָ֖א (yatza) – Root: יצא (yatzaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he has come out”; Notes: Describes Tirhaqah’s military movement.
- לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם (le-hillakhem) – Root: לחם (lacham); Form: Nifal infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to fight”; Notes: Nifal is the standard stem for “to fight” in Biblical Hebrew.
- אִתָּ֑ךְ (ittakh) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Preposition with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against you”; Notes: Addressed to the king of Ashshur.
- וַיָּ֨שָׁב (va-yashav) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he returned”; Notes: Likely refers to a shift in military focus or movement.
- וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח (va-yishlaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he sent”; Notes: Refers to sending messengers with a message.
- מַלְאָכִ֔ים (malʾakhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “messengers”; Notes: Plural form indicating multiple envoys.
- אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ (el-Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq) + יה (Yah); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: The king of Yehudah, the intended recipient of the message.
- לֵאמֹֽר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Sets up the content of the message that follows.