וַתֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אִמְר֣וּ לָאִ֔ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃
And she said to them, “Thus says YHWH, the God of Yisraʾel: ‘Say to the man who sent you to me,
Morphology
- וַתֹּ֣אמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Refers to Ḥuldah the prophetess speaking.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (aleihem) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the delegation sent by the king.
- כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר (koh-amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Demonstrative adverb + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Prophetic formula introducing a divine message.
- יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (ʾElohei Yisraʾel) – Root: אל (ʾel), ישראל (Yisraʾel); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Identifies YHWH in covenant relationship with Yisraʾel.
- אִמְר֣וּ (ʾimru) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Say”; Notes: Command to deliver a message on YHWH’s behalf.
- לָאִ֔ישׁ (la-ish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the man”; Notes: Refers to King Yoshiyahu, without naming him directly.
- אֲשֶׁר־שָׁלַ֥ח (ʾasher-shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Relative pronoun + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “who sent”; Notes: Introduces the man’s role in commissioning the inquiry.
- אֶתְכֶ֖ם (etkhem) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the messengers themselves.
- אֵלָֽי (elai) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to Ḥuldah as the recipient of the royal inquiry.