לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לֹ֤א יָבֹא֙ אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את וְלֹֽא־יֹורֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם חֵ֑ץ וְלֹֽא־יְקַדְּמֶ֣נָּה מָגֵ֔ן וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ עָלֶ֖יהָ סֹלְלָֽה׃
Therefore thus says YHWH concerning the king of Ashshur: “He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with a shield, nor cast up a siege ramp against it.
Morphology
- לָכֵ֗ן (lakhen) – Root: כן (ken); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Introduces a consequence from preceding divine statements.
- כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר (koh-amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Demonstrative adverb + Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Standard prophetic announcement formula.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Speaker of the declaration.
- אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר (el-melekh Ashshur) – Root: מלך (melekh), אשׁור (Ashshur); Form: Preposition + construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “concerning the king of Ashshur”; Notes: The Assyrian king is the subject of the divine verdict.
- לֹ֤א יָבֹא֙ (lo yavo) – Root: בוא (bo); Form: Negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “he shall not come”; Notes: First of four divine prohibitions.
- אֶל־הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֔את (el-ha-ʿir ha-zot) – Root: עיר (ʿir), זה (zeh); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular + demonstrative feminine singular; Translation: “into this city”; Notes: Refers to Yerushalayim.
- וְלֹֽא־יֹורֶ֥ה (ve-lo yoreh) – Root: ירה (yarah); Form: Conjunction + negative + Hiphil imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “nor shoot”; Notes: Refers specifically to shooting arrows in battle.
- שָׁ֖ם (sham) – Root: שם (sham); Form: Adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Location of military action being denied.
- חֵ֑ץ (ḥets) – Root: חץ (ḥets); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “arrow”; Notes: Common poetic symbol of warfare.
- וְלֹֽא־יְקַדְּמֶ֣נָּה (ve-lo yeqaddemenah) – Root: קדם (qadam); Form: Conjunction + negative + Piel imperfect 3rd masculine singular + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “nor confront it”; Notes: Refers to facing the city in siege formation.
- מָגֵ֔ן (magen) – Root: מגן (magen); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “shield”; Notes: Symbolizes armed engagement or siege warfare.
- וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ (ve-lo yishpokh) – Root: שׁפך (shafakh); Form: Conjunction + negative + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular; Translation: “nor pour out”; Notes: Refers to casting up earth for a siege ramp.
- עָלֶ֖יהָ (aleha) – Root: על (ʿal); Form: Preposition + 3rd feminine singular suffix; Translation: “against it”; Notes: Refers again to Yerushalayim.
- סֹלְלָֽה (solelah) – Root: סלל (salal); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “siege ramp”; Notes: Earthworks used to breach city walls, common in Assyrian warfare.