וְחֵ֣יל מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֗ל נִלְחָמִים֙ עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה הַנֹּֽותָרֹ֑ות אֶל־לָכִישׁ֙ וְאֶל־עֲזֵקָ֔ה כִּ֣י הֵ֗נָּה נִשְׁאֲר֛וּ בְּעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה עָרֵ֥י מִבְצָֽר׃ פ
And the army of the king of Bavel was fighting against Yerushalayim and against all the cities of Yehuda that remained, against Lakhish and against ʿAzeqah; for they were left among the cities of Yehuda, fortified cities.
Morphology
- וְחֵ֣יל (ve-ḥēl) – Root: חיל; Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “And the army of”; Notes: Refers to military forces of Bavel.
- מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֗ל (melekh-Bāvel) – Root: מלך / בבל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Nevukhadretstsar.
- נִלְחָמִים֙ (nilḥāmīm) – Root: לחם; Form: Nifal participle masculine plural; Translation: “were fighting”; Notes: Describes ongoing battle activity.
- עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (ʿal-Yerushalayim) – Root: – ; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Yerushalayim”; Notes: Target of Babylonian siege.
- וְעַ֛ל (ve-ʿal) – Root: על; Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and against”; Notes: Links to additional targets.
- כָּל־עָרֵ֥י (kol-ʿārē) – Root: עיר; Form: Noun plural construct with “all”; Translation: “all the cities of”; Notes: Refers to multiple urban centers in Yehudah.
- יְהוּדָ֖ה (Yehudah) – Root: – ; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: The southern kingdom.
- הַנֹּֽותָרֹ֑ות (ha-nōtārōt) – Root: יתר; Form: Definite adjective feminine plural participle; Translation: “that remained”; Notes: Survivors or remaining cities not yet captured.
- אֶל־לָכִישׁ֙ (ʾel-Lākhīsh) – Root: – ; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “against Lakhish”; Notes: Major fortified city southwest of Yerushalayim.
- וְאֶל־עֲזֵקָ֔ה (ve-ʾel-ʿAzeqāh) – Root: – ; Form: Conjunction + preposition + proper noun; Translation: “and against ʿAzeqah”; Notes: Another strategic city in Yehudah.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Explains why Lakhish and ʿAzeqah are mentioned.
- הֵ֗נָּה (hēnnāh) – Root: – ; Form: Demonstrative pronoun feminine plural; Translation: “they”; Notes: Refers to the two named cities.
- נִשְׁאֲר֛וּ (nishʾarū) – Root: שאר; Form: Nifal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “were left”; Notes: Passive form indicating survival.
- בְּעָרֵ֥י (be-ʿārē) – Root: עיר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “among the cities of”; Notes: Indicates location within a set.
- יְהוּדָ֖ה (Yehudah) – Root: – ; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Repeated reference to the kingdom.
- עָרֵ֥י (ʿārē) – Root: עיר; Form: Construct noun feminine plural; Translation: “cities of”; Notes: Construct form repeated for emphasis.
- מִבְצָֽר (mivtsār) – Root: בצר; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “fortress”; Notes: Refers to cities fortified for military defense.
- פ (samekh) – Form: Masoretic note; Translation: [section break]; Notes: Marks the end of a paragraph (petuḥa).