וְאֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַשֹּׁלֵ֤חַ אֶתְכֶם֙ לִדְרֹ֣שׁ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּ אֵלָ֑יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמָֽעְתָּ׃
And to the king of Yehuda who sent you to inquire of YHWH, thus you shall say to him: “Thus says YHWH, the God of Yisraʾel: ‘The words that you have heard,
Morphology
- וְאֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ (veʾel-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Conjunction + preposition + masculine singular noun in construct; Translation: “And to the king”; Notes: Introduces the direct recipient of the next divine message.
- יְהוּדָ֗ה (Yehudah) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “of Yehudah”; Notes: Identifies the reigning monarch, King Yoshiyahu.
- הַשֹּׁלֵ֤חַ (ha-sholeaḥ) – Root: שלח; Form: Definite article + Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “who sent”; Notes: Modifies “king,” describing his action.
- אֶתְכֶם֙ (etkhem) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the royal delegation.
- לִדְרֹ֣שׁ (lidrosh) – Root: דרשׁ; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to inquire”; Notes: Seeking divine guidance or prophecy.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה (et-YHWH) – Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “of YHWH”; Notes: Object of “inquire.”
- כֹּ֥ה תֹאמְר֖וּ (koh toʾmeru) – Root: אמר; Form: Demonstrative + Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “thus you shall say”; Notes: Common prophetic speech formula.
- אֵלָ֑יו (elav) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to the king.
- כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר (koh-amar) – Root: אמר; Form: Demonstrative + Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Standard formula introducing divine utterance.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The speaker of the divine message.
- אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (ʾElohei Yisraʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the God of Yisraʾel”; Notes: Covenant name of God emphasizing national relationship.
- הַדְּבָרִ֖ים (ha-devarim) – Root: דבר; Form: Definite masculine plural noun; Translation: “the words”; Notes: Refers to the contents of the Torah scroll.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʾasher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause modifying “words.”
- שָׁמָֽעְתָּ (shamaʿta) – Root: שמע; Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you have heard”; Notes: Refers to the king’s act of hearing the scroll read aloud.