וַיְשַׁלַּ֣ח יְהוָ֣ה בֹּ֡ו אֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֣י כַשְׂדִּים֩ וְאֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֨י אֲרָ֜ם וְאֵ֣ת גְּדוּדֵ֣י מֹואָ֗ב וְאֵת֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עַמֹּ֔ון וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥ם בִּֽיהוּדָ֖ה לְהַֽאֲבִידֹ֑ו כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַ֖ד עֲבָדָ֥יו הַנְּבִיאִֽים׃
And YHWH sent against him the bands of the Kasdim and the bands of Aram and the bands of Moʾav and the bands of the sons of ʿAmmon, and He sent them against Yehuda to destroy it, according to the word of YHWH which He spoke by the hand of His servants the prophets.
Morphology
- וַיְשַׁלַּ֣ח (va-yshallaḥ) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And He sent”; Notes: The subject is YHWH; intensifies the action of dispatching judgment.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- בֹּ֡ו (bo) – Root: בוא; Form: Preposition בְּ + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “against him”; Notes: Refers to Yehoyaqim in the previous verse.
- אֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֣י (et-gedudei) – Root: גדד; Form: Direct object marker + construct noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “the bands of”; Notes: Militant forces or raiding parties.
- כַשְׂדִּים֩ (Kasdim) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Gentilic plural; Translation: “Kasdim”; Notes: Refers to Chaldeans (Babylonians).
- וְאֶת־גְּדוּדֵ֨י (ve-et-gedudei) – Root: גדד; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “and the bands of”; Notes: Repeated structure for emphasis.
- אֲרָ֜ם (Aram) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Name; Translation: “Aram”; Notes: Ancient kingdom north of Yisraʾel.
- וְאֵ֣ת (ve-et) – Root: Direct object marker; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the series of hostile forces.
- גְּדוּדֵ֣י (gedudei) – Root: גדד; Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “bands of”; Notes: Repeated phrase indicating multiple groups.
- מֹואָ֗ב (Moʾav) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Name; Translation: “Moʾav”; Notes: Traditional enemy east of the Yarden.
- וְאֵת֙ (ve-et) – Root: Direct object marker; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker; Translation: “and”; Notes: Reiterates the parallel structure.
- גְּדוּדֵ֣י (gedudei) – Root: גדד; Form: Construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “bands of”; Notes: Same pattern, new origin group.
- בְנֵֽי־עַמֹּ֔ון (venei-ʿAmmon) – Root: בן + עמון; Form: Construct plural “sons of” + proper noun; Translation: “sons of ʿAmmon”; Notes: Eastern neighbors of Yisraʾel, often adversaries.
- וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥ם (va-yshallekhem) – Root: שלח; Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and He sent them”; Notes: Emphasizes YHWH’s active judgment through these nations.
- בִּֽיהוּדָ֖ה (bi-Yehudah) – Root: Proper noun; Form: Preposition בְּ + proper noun; Translation: “against Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the kingdom of Yehudah (Judah).
- לְהַֽאֲבִידֹ֑ו (le-haʾavid-o) – Root: אבד; Form: Hiphil infinitive construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to destroy it”; Notes: Infinitive of purpose with destructive connotation.
- כִּדְבַ֣ר (kidvar) – Root: דבר; Form: Preposition כְּ + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “according to the word of”; Notes: Introduces basis for divine action.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: Divine Name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker and source of the prophetic word.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: Relative particle; Form: Particle; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces relative clause referring to “the word.”
- דִּבֶּ֔ר (dibber) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “He spoke”; Notes: Emphatic form of speaking, often for solemn oracles.
- בְּיַ֖ד (be-yad) – Root: יד; Form: Preposition בְּ + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “by the hand of”; Notes: Instrumental phrase expressing agency.
- עֲבָדָ֥יו (avadav) – Root: עבד; Form: Noun masculine plural construct with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His servants”; Notes: Refers to the prophets as YHWH’s messengers.
- הַנְּבִיאִֽים (ha-neviʾim) – Root: נבא; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the prophets”; Notes: The official mediators of YHWH’s word to Yisraʾel and Yehudah.