וַיֹּ֣אמֶר רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה הַאֶ֨ל אֲדֹנֶ֤יךָ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ שְׁלָחַ֣נִי אֲדֹנִ֔י לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה הֲלֹ֣א עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים הַיֹּֽשְׁבִים֙ עַל־הַ֣חֹומָ֔ה לֶאֱכֹ֣ל אֶת־חֳרֵיהֶם וְלִשְׁתֹּ֛ות אֶת־שֵׁינֵיהֶם עִמָּכֶֽם׃
And Rav-shaqe said, “Has my lord sent me to your lord and to you to speak these words? Is it not to the men sitting on the wall, to eat their dung and to drink their urine with you?”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative verb introducing Rav-shaqeh’s response.
- רַב־שָׁקֵה (Rav-shaqeh) – Root: רב + שק; Form: Title compound; Translation: “Rav-shaqeh”; Notes: Assyrian title meaning “chief cupbearer” or envoy.
- הַאֶל (ha-el) – Root: אל; Form: Interrogative + preposition; Translation: “Is it to”; Notes: Begins a rhetorical question.
- אֲדֹנֶיךָ (adonekha) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your lord”; Notes: Refers to King Ḥizqiyyahu.
- וְאֵלֶיךָ (ve-elekha) – Root: אל; Form: Conjunction + preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and to you”; Notes: Refers to the officials present.
- שְׁלָחַנִי (shelaḥani) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “he sent me”; Notes: Refers to the Assyrian king as the sender.
- אֲדֹנִי (adoni) – Root: אדן; Form: Noun masculine singular with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Rav-shaqeh refers to the king of Ashshur.
- לְדַבֵּר (le-dabber) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to speak”; Notes: Expresses the intended purpose of being sent.
- אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים (et-ha-devarim) – Root: דבר; Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “these words”; Notes: Refers to his threatening speech.
- הָאֵלֶּה (ha-elleh) – Root: אלה; Form: Demonstrative plural masculine with article; Translation: “these”; Notes: Modifies “words” as specific content.
- הֲלֹא (halo) – Root: לא; Form: Interrogative particle; Translation: “Is it not”; Notes: Introduces rhetorical question for emphasis.
- עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁים (ʿal-ha-anashim) – Root: אנש; Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “to the men”; Notes: Refers to the soldiers or citizens on the wall.
- הַיֹּשְׁבִים (ha-yoshvim) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal participle masculine plural with article; Translation: “who are sitting”; Notes: Present continuous action.
- עַל־הַחֹומָה (ʿal-ha-ḥomah) – Root: חמה; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “on the wall”; Notes: Likely soldiers defending the city.
- לֶאֱכֹל (le-ekhol) – Root: אכל; Form: Infinitive construct with prefix; Translation: “to eat”; Notes: Part of a graphic hyperbolic warning.
- אֶת־חֳרֵיהֶם (et-ḥoreihem) – Root: חרה; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine plural + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their dung”; Notes: Crude imagery to instill fear.
- וְלִשְׁתֹּות (ve-lishtot) – Root: שׁתה; Form: Conjunction + infinitive construct; Translation: “and to drink”; Notes: Parallel with previous verb for further shock effect.
- אֶת־שֵׁינֵיהֶם (et-sheineihem) – Root: שׁין; Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine plural (euphemism) + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “their urine”; Notes: Euphemism; graphic metaphor for famine and siege.
- עִמָּכֶם (ʿimmakhem) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Inclusive accusation to the officials present.