וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח יְהֹואָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶל־אֲמַצְיָ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַחֹ֜וחַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנֹ֗ון שָׁ֠לַח אֶל־הָאֶ֜רֶז אֲשֶׁ֤ר בַּלְּבָנֹון֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנָֽה־אֶת־בִּתְּךָ֥ לִבְנִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַֽתַּעֲבֹ֞ר חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנֹ֔ון וַתִּרְמֹ֖ס אֶת־הַחֹֽוחַ׃
And Yoʾash king of Yisraʾel sent to Amatsyahu king of Yehuda, saying: “The thornbush that was in the Levanon sent to the cedar that was in the Levanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife,’ but a wild beast of the field that was in the Levanon passed by and trampled the thornbush.
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁלַח (va-yishlaḥ) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3ms; Translation: “And he sent”; Notes: Introduction of formal communication.
- יְהֹואָשׁ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yehoʾash melekh-Yisraʾel) – Form: Proper noun + construct; Translation: “Yoʾash king of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Subject and title of the sender.
- אֶל־אֲמַצְיָהוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה (el-Amatsyahu melekh-Yehudah) – Form: Preposition + proper noun + construct; Translation: “to Amatsyahu king of Yehudah”; Notes: Recipient of the message.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the contents of the message.
- הַחֹוחַ (ha-ḥoʾaḥ) – Root: חוח (ḥ-w-ḥ); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the thornbush”; Notes: Metaphor representing a lowly or presumptuous figure.
- אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנֹון (ʾasher ba-Levanon) – Form: Relative clause; Translation: “that was in the Levanon”; Notes: Repeated imagery for setting the scene.
- שָׁלַח (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3ms; Translation: “sent”; Notes: Verbal predicate of the parable.
- אֶל־הָאֶרֶז (el-ha-erez) – Root: ארז (ʾ-r-z); Form: Preposition + definite noun; Translation: “to the cedar”; Notes: Symbolizes strength and nobility.
- תְּנָה (tenah) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Qal imperative 2ms; Translation: “Give!”; Notes: Demand from the thornbush to the cedar.
- אֶת־בִּתְּךָ לִבְנִי לְאִשָּׁה (et-bitkha li-vni leʾishah) – Translation: “your daughter to my son as a wife”; Notes: A formal marriage proposal expressing presumption.
- וַתַּעֲבֹר (va-taʿavor) – Root: עבר (ʿ-v-r); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3fs; Translation: “and passed by”; Notes: Begins the consequence portion of the parable.
- חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה (ḥayyat ha-sadeh) – Root: חיה (ḥ-y-h); Form: Construct + definite noun; Translation: “a wild beast of the field”; Notes: Uncontrollable force representing danger.
- וַתִּרְמֹס (va-tirmos) – Root: רמס (r-m-s); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3fs; Translation: “and trampled”; Notes: Symbolic destruction or humiliation.
- אֶת־הַחֹוחַ (et-ha-ḥoʾaḥ) – Form: Accusative marker + definite noun; Translation: “the thornbush”; Notes: Ends the parable with the downfall of the presumptuous party.