וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ צִדְקִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־יְהוּכַ֣ל בֶּן־שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֗ה וְאֶת־צְפַנְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־מַֽעֲשֵׂיָה֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹ֑ר הִתְפַּלֶּל־נָ֣א בַעֲדֵ֔נוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
And King Tsidqiyahu sent Yehukhal son of Shelemyahu and Tsephanyahu son of Maʿaseyahu the priest to Yirmeyahu the prophet, saying, “Pray, please, on our behalf to YHWH our God.”
Morphology
- וַיִּשְׁלַח (va-yishlaḥ) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he sent”; Notes: Introduces the king’s action.
- הַמֶּלֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Refers specifically to King Tsidqiyahu.
- צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsidqiyahu) – Root: צדק; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tsidqiyahu”; Notes: Name of the last king of Yehudah before the exile.
- אֶת (ʾet) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker; Translation: [untranslatable marker]; Notes: Marks the following as the direct object of the verb.
- יְהוּכַל (Yehukhal) – Root: יהוכל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehukhal”; Notes: One of the king’s envoys.
- בֶּן (ben) – Root: בן; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “son of”; Notes: Indicates genealogy or descent.
- שֶׁלֶמְיָה (Shelemyahu) – Root: שלמיהו; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Shelemyahu”; Notes: Father of Yehukhal.
- וְאֶת (ve-ʾet) – Root: את; Form: Conjunction + direct object marker; Translation: “and [direct object marker]”; Notes: Adds another object of the verb.
- צְפַנְיָהוּ (Tsephanyahu) – Root: צפניהו; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Tsephanyahu”; Notes: A priest sent as envoy with Yehukhal.
- בֶּן (ben) – Root: בן; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “son of”; Notes: Genealogical marker.
- מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Maʿaseyahu) – Root: מעשיהו; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Maʿaseyahu”; Notes: Father of Tsephanyahu.
- הַכֹּהֵן (ha-kohen) – Root: כהן; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Title identifying Tsephanyahu’s role.
- אֶל (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward Yirmeyahu.
- יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmeyahu) – Root: ירמיהו; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yirmeyahu”; Notes: The prophet Jeremiah, target of the mission.
- הַנָּבִיא (ha-naviʾ) – Root: נבא; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the prophet”; Notes: Confirms Yirmeyahu’s prophetic office.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר; Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Formula introducing direct speech.
- הִתְפַּלֶּל (hitpallel) – Root: פלל; Form: Hitpael imperative 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “Pray”; Notes: Command/request for intercession.
- נָא (na) – Root: Particle; Form: Enclitic particle of entreaty; Translation: “please”; Notes: Softens the imperative into a polite request.
- בַּעֲדֵנוּ (baʿadenu) – Root: בעד; Form: Preposition + 1st person common plural suffix; Translation: “on our behalf”; Notes: Indicates intercessory direction of the prayer.
- אֶל (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Marks direction of prayer to YHWH.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of the God of Yisraʾel.
- אֱלֹהֵינוּ (Eloheinu) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural with 1st person common plural suffix in construct; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Confessional phrase highlighting covenant relationship.