Isaiah 37:14

וַיִּקַּ֨ח חִזְקִיָּ֧הוּ אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֛ים מִיַּ֥ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים וַיִּקְרָאֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֨עַל֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה וַיִּפְרְשֵׂ֥הוּ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

And Ḥizqiyahu took the letters from the hand of the messengers and read it, and Ḥizqiyahu went up to the house of YHWH and spread it out before YHWH.

Morphology

1. וַיִּקַּ֨ח (va-yiqqaḥ) – Root: לקח (laqach); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he took”; Notes: Introduces Ḥizqiyahu’s response to receiving the letter.
2. חִזְקִיָּ֧הוּ (Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq) + theophoric suffix; Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: King of Yehudah during the Assyrian invasion.
3. אֶת־הַסְּפָרִ֛ים (et-ha-sefarim) – Root: ספר (sefer); Form: Direct object marker + definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the letters”; Notes: Likely a written message or threat from the king of Ashshur.
4. מִיַּ֥ד (mi-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular in construct; Translation: “from the hand of”; Notes: Indicates receipt directly from the messengers.
5. הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים (ha-malaʾkhim) – Root: מלאך (malʾakh); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the messengers”; Notes: Human envoys sent by the Assyrian king.
6. וַיִּקְרָאֵ֑הוּ (va-yiqraʾehu) – Root: קרא (qaraʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he read it”; Notes: Refers to Ḥizqiyahu reading the contents of the letter.
7. וַיַּ֨עַל (va-yaʿal) – Root: עלה (ʿalah); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he went up”; Notes: Refers to ascending to the Temple, seen as a physical and spiritual elevation.
8. בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֔ה (beit YHWH) – Root: בית (bayit), יהוה (YHWH); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the house of YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the Temple in Yerushalayim.
9. וַיִּפְרְשֵׂ֥הוּ (va-yifreshéhu) – Root: פרשׂ (paras); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and he spread it out”; Notes: Gesture of appeal or supplication before YHWH.
10. חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ (Ḥizqiyahu) – Root: חזק (ḥazaq); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Ḥizqiyahu”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis in the narrative sequence.
11. לִפְנֵ֥י (lifnei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition + construct noun masculine plural; Translation: “before”; Notes: Used in the idiom “before YHWH,” indicating reverent presentation.
12. יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun, Tetragrammaton; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Personal covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel, invoked here as the one who hears prayer.