כִּ֣י אָמַ֗ר בְּכֹ֤חַ יָדִי֙ עָשִׂ֔יתִי וּבְחָכְמָתִ֖י כִּ֣י נְבֻנֹ֑ותִי וְאָסִ֣יר גְּבוּלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֗ים וְעָתִידֹתֵיהֶם שֹׁושֵׂ֔תִי וְאֹורִ֥יד כַּאבִּ֖יר יֹושְׁבִֽים׃
For he said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am discerning; and I remove the boundaries of peoples, and their treasures I plunder, and like a mighty one I bring down those who sit.”
Morphology
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason or quotation of the king’s arrogance.
- אָמַ֗ר (amar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Refers to the boasting of the king of Ashshur.
- בְּכֹ֤חַ (be-koach) – Root: כח (koach); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “by the strength”; Notes: Instrumental phrase showing boast in military power.
- יָדִי (yadi) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “of my hand”; Notes: Refers to personal agency or might.
- עָשִׂ֔יתִי (ʿasiti) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have done it”; Notes: The king claims personal accomplishment.
- וּבְחָכְמָתִ֖י (u-ve-ḥokhmati) – Root: חכם (ḥakham); Form: Conjunction + preposition + noun feminine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and by my wisdom”; Notes: Boast of intellectual superiority.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates explanation or justification.
- נְבֻנֹ֑ותִי (nevunoti) – Root: בין (bin); Form: Noun feminine plural with 1st person singular suffix (or abstract feminine form); Translation: “I am discerning”; Notes: Reflects claimed insight or strategic understanding.
- וְאָסִ֣יר (ve-asir) – Root: סור (sur); Form: Conjunction + Hifil imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I remove”; Notes: Causative—he claims to displace boundaries.
- גְּבוּלֹ֣ת (gevulot) – Root: גבול (gevul); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “the boundaries of”; Notes: Refers to national or territorial borders.
- עַמִּ֗ים (ʿammim) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “peoples”; Notes: Generic term for nations or ethnic groups.
- וְעָתִידֹתֵיהֶם (ve-ʿatidoteihem) – Root: עתד (ʿatad); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine plural with 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “and their treasures”; Notes: Likely refers to stored wealth or valuable goods.
- שֹׁושֵׂ֔תִי (shośeti) – Root: שׁסס (shasas); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I plunder”; Notes: Emphasizes violent acquisition of wealth.
- וְאֹורִ֥יד (ve-orid) – Root: ירד (yarad); Form: Conjunction + Hifil imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “and I bring down”; Notes: Causative form of humiliation or defeat.
- כַּאבִּ֖יר (ka-abbir) – Root: אבר (ʾabar); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like a mighty one”; Notes: Boastful self-comparison to a heroic or strong warrior.
- יֹושְׁבִֽים (yoshevim) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal active participle masculine plural; Translation: “those who sit”; Notes: Refers to rulers or inhabitants—those settled or secure.