וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁמֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ שָׁלַ֣ח הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־מְשֻׁלָּם֙ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Yoshiyyahu, the king sent Shafan son of Atzalyahu, son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of YHWH, saying,
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֗י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Narrative formula marking a temporal transition.
- בִּשְׁמֹנֶ֤ה עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה (bi-shmoneh esreh shanah) – Root: שמונה (shmoneh), עשר (eser), שנה (shanah); Form: Preposition + numeral + noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the eighteenth year”; Notes: Refers to the specific year of reign.
- לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (la-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “of the king”; Notes: Clarifies whose reign is meant.
- יֹאשִׁיָּ֑הוּ (Yoshiyahu) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Masculine singular; Translation: “Yoshiyahu”; Notes: King of Yehudah.
- שָׁלַ֣ח (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he sent”; Notes: Refers to the king initiating official action.
- הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Appositional reiteration for emphasis.
- אֶת־שָׁפָ֨ן (et-Shafan) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Shafan”; Notes: Recipient of the king’s commission.
- בֶּן־אֲצַלְיָ֤הוּ (ben-Atzalyahu) – Root: בן (ben), אצליה (Atzalyahu); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Atzalyahu”; Notes: Establishes lineage.
- בֶן־מְשֻׁלָּם֙ (ben-Meshullam) – Root: בן (ben), משלם (Meshullam); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “son of Meshullam”; Notes: Further ancestral identification.
- הַסֹּפֵ֔ר (ha-sofer) – Root: ספר (safar); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the scribe”; Notes: Official court record-keeper or administrator.
- בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה (beit YHWH) – Root: בית (bayit), הוה (YHWH); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the house of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the Temple in Yerushalayim.
- לֵאמֹֽר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the king’s directive.