אוּלַ֡י יִשְׁמַע֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת דִּבְרֵ֣י רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ שְׁלָחֹ֨ו מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֤וּר אֲדֹנָיו֙ לְחָרֵף֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים חַ֔י וְהֹוכִ֨יחַ֙ בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖ע יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְנָשָׂ֣אתָ תְפִלָּ֔ה בְּעַ֥ד הַשְּׁאֵרִ֖ית הַנִּמְצָאָֽה׃
Perhaps YHWH your God will hear the words of Rav-shaqe, whom the king of Ashshur his master has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which YHWH your God has heard, and you will lift up prayer on behalf of the remnant that is found.’”
Morphology
- אוּלַ֡י (ʾulai) – Root: conjectural particle; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Perhaps”; Notes: Expresses hope or uncertainty regarding divine action.
- יִשְׁמַע֩ (yishmaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “will hear”; Notes: Anticipated future action by YHWH.
- יְהוָ֨ה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the covenantal name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלוה (Eloah); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Addressed personally to the prophet or leader.
- אֵ֣ת דִּבְרֵ֣י (et divrei) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Direct object marker + masculine plural construct; Translation: “the words of”; Notes: Introduces the object of hearing.
- רַב־שָׁקֵ֗ה (Rav-shaqeh) – Root: Akkadian loanword; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Rav-shaqeh”; Notes: Title of an Assyrian official or messenger.
- אֲשֶׁר֩ (asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Form: Indeclinable; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces a relative clause about Rav-shaqeh’s mission.
- שְׁלָחֹ֨ו (shelacho) – Root: שלח (shalaḥ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “he has sent him”; Notes: Refers to the action of the king of Ashshur.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֤וּר (melekh-Ashshur) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Ashshur”; Notes: Refers to the Assyrian monarch.
- אֲדֹנָיו֙ (adonav) – Root: אדן (ʾadon); Form: Noun masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his master”; Notes: Indicates the hierarchical chain between king and messenger.
- לְחָרֵף֙ (le-ḥaref) – Root: חרף (ḥaraf); Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “to reproach”; Notes: Aimed at insulting or blaspheming the living God.
- אֱלֹהִ֣ים (Elohim) – Root: אלוה (Eloah); Form: Noun masculine plural (majestic/plural of reverence); Translation: “God”; Notes: Used here with the adjective “living.”
- חַ֔י (ḥai) – Root: חיה (ḥayah); Form: Adjective masculine singular; Translation: “living”; Notes: Emphasizes the vitality and reality of YHWH in contrast to idols.
- וְהֹוכִ֨יחַ֙ (ve-hokhiaḥ) – Root: יכח (yakhaḥ); Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and will rebuke”; Notes: Hopeful expectation for divine response to blasphemy.
- בַּדְּבָרִ֔ים (ba-devarim) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Preposition + definite plural noun masculine; Translation: “the words”; Notes: Refers to the offensive or blasphemous speech.
- אֲשֶׁ֥ר (asher) – Root: Relative pronoun; Form: Indeclinable; Translation: “which”; Notes: Continues the relative clause describing the words heard by YHWH.
- שָׁמַ֖ע (shamaʿ) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he has heard”; Notes: Indicates YHWH’s awareness of the insult.
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The one to whom the appeal is made for judgment.
- אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלוה (Eloah); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Reinforces the personal relationship and covenant loyalty.
- וְנָשָׂ֣אתָ (ve-nasata) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and you will lift up”; Notes: Direct appeal to intercession through prayer.
- תְפִלָּ֔ה (tefillah) – Root: פלל (palal); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “prayer”; Notes: Act of petition or supplication before YHWH.
- בְּעַ֥ד (beʿad) – Root: Preposition; Form: Preposition; Translation: “on behalf of”; Notes: Indicates intercession for others.
- הַשְּׁאֵרִ֖ית (ha-sheʾerit) – Root: שאר (shaʾar); Form: Definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “the remnant”; Notes: Survivors of the nation under threat.
- הַנִּמְצָאָֽה (ha-nimtzaʾah) – Root: מצא (matsaʾ); Form: Nifal participle feminine singular; Translation: “that is found”; Notes: Refers to the remaining faithful or physical survivors.