כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה הִנְנִ֧י מֵבִ֣יא אֶל־צֹ֗ר נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֧ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֛ל מִצָּפֹ֖ון מֶ֣לֶךְ מְלָכִ֑ים בְּס֛וּס וּבְרֶ֥כֶב וּבְפָרָשִׁ֖ים וְקָהָ֥ל וְעַם־רָֽב׃
“For thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am bringing against Tsor Nevukhadretstsar king of Bavel from the north, king of kings, with horse and with chariot and with horsemen and assembly and many people.
Morphology
- כִּי (ki) – Root: —; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the divine declaration with explanatory force.
- כֹה (koh) – Root: —; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Marks the formulaic introduction to a prophetic oracle.
- אָמַר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Regular formula in prophetic speech.
- אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonai) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Proper title, emphatic plural with 1st person suffix meaning “my Lord”; Translation: “my Lord”; Notes: Title of divine sovereignty when paired with YHWH.
- יְהוִה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of Israel’s God.
- הִנְנִי (hineni) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection + pronoun 1st person common singular; Translation: “Behold, I”; Notes: Used for emphasis in divine speech, signaling imminent action.
- מֵבִיא (mevi) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Hiphil participle masculine singular; Translation: “am bringing”; Notes: Hiphil conveys causative action, YHWH as the one who causes the coming.
- אֶל־צֹר (ʾel-Tsor) – Root: צור (Tsor); Form: Preposition אֶל + proper noun; Translation: “against Tsor”; Notes: Indicates direction or target of divine judgment.
- נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר (Nevukadretstsar) – Root: Akkadian (nabû-kudurri-uṣur); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Nebukadretstsar”; Notes: Babylonian king, historical figure Nebuchadnezzar II.
- מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל (melekh-Bavel) – Root: מלך (melekh), בבל (Bavel); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Nebukadretstsar’s royal title and empire.
- מִצָּפֹון (mi-tsafon) – Root: צפון (tsafon); Form: Preposition מִן + noun masculine singular; Translation: “from the north”; Notes: North as the traditional direction of invasion in prophetic literature.
- מֶלֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine singular absolute; Translation: “king”; Notes: Title of Nebukadretstsar emphasized again in apposition.
- מְלָכִים (melakhim) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine plural absolute; Translation: “kings”; Notes: Title “king of kings,” expressing supreme authority.
- בְּסוּס (be-sus) – Root: סוס (sus); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “with horse”; Notes: Collective singular, indicating cavalry.
- וּבְרֶכֶב (u-ve-rekhev) – Root: רכב (rekhev); Form: Conjunction וְ + Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and with chariot”; Notes: Refers to military chariots.
- וּבְפָרָשִׁים (u-ve-farashim) – Root: פרשׁ (parash); Form: Conjunction וְ + Preposition בְּ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and with horsemen”; Notes: Cavalry soldiers distinct from charioteers.
- וְקָהָל (ve-qahal) – Root: קהל (qahal); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and assembly”; Notes: Refers to a gathered multitude, here military forces.
- וְעַם־רָב (ve-ʿam-rav) – Root: עם (ʿam), רב (rav); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine singular construct + adjective masculine singular; Translation: “and many people”; Notes: Large numbers of supporting troops or populations.