בְּיַ֣ד מַלְאָכֶיךָ֮ חֵרַ֣פְתָּ אֲדֹנָי֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר בְּרֶכֶב רִכְבִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י עָלִ֛יתִי מְרֹ֥ום הָרִ֖ים יַרְכְּתֵ֣י לְבָנֹ֑ון וְאֶכְרֹ֞ת קֹומַ֤ת אֲרָזָיו֙ מִבְחֹ֣ור בְּרֹשָׁ֔יו וְאָבֹ֨ואָה֙ מְלֹ֣ון קִצֹּ֔ה יַ֖עַר כַּרְמִלֹּֽו׃
By the hand of your messengers you have reproached the Lord, and you said, “With the multitude of my chariots I have gone up to the height of the mountains, to the far parts of Levanon, and I will cut down the tall cedars of it, the choice of its cypresses, and I will enter its farthest height, its forest of Karmil.
Morphology
- בְּיַ֣ד (be-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “By the hand of”; Notes: Indicates agency—through messengers.
- מַלְאָכֶיךָ֮ (malʾakhekha) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your messengers”; Notes: Refers to emissaries sent by Sanḥeriv.
- חֵרַ֣פְתָּ (ḥeraphta) – Root: חרף (ḥaraf); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have reproached”; Notes: Strong verb of insult or blasphemy.
- אֲדֹנָי֒ (Adonai) – Root: אדון (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with possessive ending; Translation: “the Lord”; Notes: Used here to refer to YHWH reverently.
- וַתֹּ֗אמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you said”; Notes: Introduces boastful speech of the Assyrian king.
- בְּרֶכֶב (be-rekhev) – Root: רכב (rekhev); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with chariot”; Notes: Instrumental use indicating means of conquest.
- רִכְבִּ֛י (rikhbi) – Root: רכב (rekhev); Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my chariots”; Notes: Emphasizes personal military power.
- אֲנִ֥י (ani) – Form: Independent pronoun 1st person singular; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphatic self-reference by the king.
- עָלִ֛יתִי (ʿalitiy) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have gone up”; Notes: Refers to military ascension or invasion.
- מְרֹ֥ום הָרִ֖ים (merom ha-harim) – Root: רום (rum), הר (har); Form: Noun masculine singular + definite plural; Translation: “to the height of the mountains”; Notes: Poetic elevation of conquests.
- יַרְכְּתֵ֣י לְבָנֹ֑ון (yarketei-Levanon) – Root: ירך (yarekh), לבנון (Levanon); Form: Construct plural + proper noun; Translation: “the far reaches of Levanon”; Notes: Symbol of grandeur and natural strength.
- וְאֶכְרֹ֞ת (ve-ekhrot) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and I will cut down”; Notes: Continuation of conquest imagery.
- קֹומַ֤ת אֲרָזָיו֙ (qomat arazav) – Root: קום (qum), ארז (erez); Form: Construct noun + masculine plural with 3rd person suffix; Translation: “the height of its cedars”; Notes: Cedar trees symbolize pride and strength.
- מִבְחֹ֣ור בְּרֹשָׁ֔יו (mivḥor beroshav) – Root: בחר (baḥar), ברוש (beros); Form: Noun + construct noun masculine plural with 3rd person suffix; Translation: “the choicest of its cypresses”; Notes: Highlights selective destruction.
- וְאָבֹ֨ואָה֙ (ve-avoʾah) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person singular with vav; Translation: “and I will enter”; Notes: Expresses intention with resolve.
- מְלֹ֣ון קִצֹּ֔ה (melon kitsso) – Root: לון (lun), קצה (qatseh); Form: Noun + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “the farthest lodging place”; Notes: Suggests reaching the remotest parts of territory.
- יַ֖עַר כַּרְמִלֹּֽו (yaʿar karmillo) – Root: יער (yaʿar), כרמל (Karmel); Form: Noun + proper noun with suffix; Translation: “the forest of its Carmel”; Notes: A rich, fertile region, possibly metonym for beauty or abundance.