בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֡יא שָׁלַ֡ח בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל סְפָרִ֥ים וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֔ע כִּ֥י חָלָ֖ה חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ׃
At that time, Berodakh Balʾadan son of Balʾadan, king of Bavel, sent letters and a gift to Ḥizqiyahu, for he had heard that Ḥizqiyahu had been sick.
Morphology
- בָּעֵ֣ת (ba-ʿet) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Preposition בְּ + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “At the time”; Notes: Indicates a specific point in historical narrative.
- הַהִ֡יא (ha-hiʾ) – Root: היא (hiʾ); Form: Definite article + demonstrative pronoun feminine singular; Translation: “that”; Notes: Modifies “time” to refer to a past moment.
- שָׁלַ֡ח (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “sent”; Notes: Refers to dispatching envoys or messengers.
- בְּרֹאדַ֣ךְ בַּ֠לְאֲדָן (Berodakh-Balʾadan) – Root: Proper name; Form: Compound name; Translation: “Berodakh-Balʾadan”; Notes: Babylonian ruler, name transliterated from Akkadian.
- בֶּֽן־בַּלְאֲדָ֧ן (ben-Balʾadan) – Root: בן (ben) + בלאדן (Balʾadan); Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “son of Balʾadan”; Notes: Genealogical reference affirming royal identity.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל (melekh-Bavel) – Root: מלך (melekh) + בבל (Bavel); Form: Construct noun masculine singular + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Bavel is the Hebrew name for Babylon.
- סְפָרִ֥ים (sefarim) – Root: ספר (sefer); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “letters”; Notes: Likely official correspondence or messages.
- וּמִנְחָ֖ה (u-minḥah) – Root: מנח (minḥah); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular; Translation: “and a gift”; Notes: Gift or tribute accompanying the letters.
- אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ (el-Ḥizqiyyahu) – Root: אל (el) + חזקיהו (Ḥizqiyyahu); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: Recipient of the letters and gift.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for” / “because”; Notes: Introduces the reason for the diplomatic gesture.
- שָׁמַ֔ע (shamaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he had heard”; Notes: Refers to Berodakh-Balʾadan’s awareness.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces a subordinate clause.
- חָלָ֖ה (ḥalah) – Root: חלה (ḥalah); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was sick”; Notes: Refers to Ḥizqiyahu’s illness.
- חִזְקִיָּֽהוּ (Ḥizqiyyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq) + יהו (Yahu); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: Closing repetition of the king’s name for emphasis.