וַיְהִי֩ ה֨וּא מִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה בֵּ֣ית נִסְרֹ֣ךְ אֱלֹהָ֗יו וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר הִכֻּ֣הוּ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְהֵ֥מָּה נִמְלְט֖וּ אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
And it came to pass, as he was bowing down in the house of Nisrokh his god, that Adrammelekh and Sar’etser struck him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esar-ḥaddon his son reigned in his place.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֩ (va-yehi) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Typical narrative introduction.
- ה֨וּא (hu) – Form: Independent pronoun 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Sanḥeriv.
- מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֜ה (mishtaḥaveh) – Root: שׁחה (shaḥah); Form: Hitpael participle masculine singular; Translation: “bowing down”; Notes: Describes worship posture in a pagan temple.
- בֵּ֣ית (beit) – Root: בית (bayit); Form: Construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “house of”; Notes: Construct with next proper name.
- נִסְרֹ֣ךְ (Nisrokh) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Nisrokh”; Notes: A deity of Assyria.
- אֱלֹהָ֗יו (elohaiv) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his god”; Notes: Refers to the deity Sanḥeriv worshiped.
- וְֽאַדְרַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (ve-Adrammelekh) – Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “and Adrammelekh”; Notes: Name of one of Sanḥeriv’s sons.
- וְשַׂרְאֶ֤צֶר (ve-Sar’etser) – Form: Proper noun with conjunction; Translation: “and Sar’etser”; Notes: Another son and co-assassin.
- הִכֻּ֣הוּ (hikkuhu) – Root: נכה (nakah); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “they struck him”; Notes: Assassination event.
- בַחֶ֔רֶב (ba-ḥerev) – Root: חרב (ḥerev); Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “with the sword”; Notes: Instrument of execution.
- וְהֵ֥מָּה (ve-hemmah) – Form: Independent pronoun 3rd person masculine plural with conjunction; Translation: “and they”; Notes: Refers to the assassins.
- נִמְלְט֖וּ (nimletu) – Root: מלט (malat); Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “escaped”; Notes: Indicates flight from justice or vengeance.
- אֶ֣רֶץ אֲרָרָ֑ט (erets Ararat) – Form: Noun + proper noun; Translation: “land of Ararat”; Notes: Region north of Assyria, possibly Armenia.
- וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ (va-yimlokh) – Root: מלך (malakh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he reigned”; Notes: Introduces succession.
- אֵֽסַר־חַדֹּ֥ן (Esar-ḥaddon) – Form: Proper noun in construct form; Translation: “Esar-ḥaddon”; Notes: Son of Sanḥeriv and his successor.
- בְּנֹ֖ו (beno) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his son”; Notes: Confirms lineage.
- תַּחְתָּֽיו (taḥtav) – Root: תחת (taḥat); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in his place”; Notes: Standard expression for royal succession.