וַיְהִ֗י בַּעֲלֹ֨ות נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֮ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר בֹּ֚אוּ וְנָבֹ֣וא יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם מִפְּנֵי֙ חֵ֣יל הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים וּמִפְּנֵ֖י חֵ֣יל אֲרָ֑ם וַנֵּ֖שֶׁב בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ פ
And it came to pass when Nevukhadretṣar king of Bavel came up against the land, then we said, “Come, and let us go to Yerushalayim, because of the army of the Kasdim and because of the army of Aram,” and we dwelled in Yerushalayim.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehī) – Root: היה; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces a narrative event with temporal framing.
- בַּעֲלֹות (baʿălōt) – Root: עלה; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct feminine; Translation: “when [he] went up” / “at the going up”; Notes: Temporal clause introducing the main event.
- נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר (Nəḇūḵaḏreʾṣṣar) – Root: Akkadian name; Form: Proper noun; Translation: Nevukhadretṣar; Notes: Babylonian king, transliterated from Akkadian Nabû-kudurri-uṣur.
- מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל (melekh-Bāvel) – Root: מלך + בבל; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Title identifying Nevukhadretṣar’s rule.
- אֶל־הָאָרֶץ (el-hāʾāretz) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “against the land”; Notes: Could imply invasion or movement toward the land of Yehudah.
- וַנֹּאמֶר (va-nōmer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person common plural; Translation: “and we said”; Notes: Introduces a reaction or speech act following the event.
- בֹּאוּ (bōʾū) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal imperative masculine plural; Translation: “Come!”; Notes: Exhortation directed to a group.
- וְנָבֹוא (ve-nāḇō) – Root: בוא; Form: Qal cohortative 1st person plural; Translation: “and let us go”; Notes: Expresses intent or resolve to act together.
- יְרוּשָׁלִַם (Yerushaláyim) – Root: ירושלים; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yerushalayim”; Notes: Capital city of Yehudah.
- מִפְּנֵי (mippənê) – Root: פנה; Form: Preposition + plural construct; Translation: “because of” / “from the face of”; Notes: Expresses cause or fear of something.
- חֵיל הַכַּשְׂדִּים (ḥēl ha-Kasdim) – Root: חיל + כשדים; Form: Construct phrase with definite article; Translation: “the army of the Kasdim”; Notes: Refers to the Chaldean (Babylonian) forces.
- וּמִפְּנֵי (u-mippənê) – Root: פנה; Form: Conjunction + preposition; Translation: “and because of”; Notes: Parallel clause structure emphasizing threat.
- חֵיל אֲרָם (ḥēl ʾĂrām) – Root: חיל + ארם; Form: Construct noun + proper noun; Translation: “the army of Aram”; Notes: Refers to the Aramean/Syrian forces.
- וַנֵּשֶׁב (va-nēshev) – Root: ישׁב; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 1st person common plural; Translation: “and we dwelled”; Notes: Concludes the narrative by noting their action of settling.
- בִּירוּשָׁלָם (bi-Yerushalayim) – Root: ירושלים; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “in Yerushalayim”; Notes: Final location of the Reḵavites after fleeing invading forces.