כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֹּ֤ה תֹֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה הַשֹּׁלֵ֧חַ אֶתְכֶ֛ם אֵלַ֖י לְדָרְשֵׁ֑נִי הִנֵּ֣ה חֵ֣יל פַּרְעֹ֗ה הַיֹּצֵ֤א לָכֶם֙ לְעֶזְרָ֔ה שָׁ֥ב לְאַרְצֹ֖ו מִצְרָֽיִם׃
“Thus says YHWH, the God of Yisraʾel: ‘Thus you shall say to the king of Yehuda who sent you to me to inquire of me: “Behold, the army of Parʿo that went out for you for help is returning to its land, to Mitsrayim.
Morphology
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: Adverb; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces a prophetic declaration formula.
- אָמַר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has said”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s authoritative speech.
- יְהוָה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה; Form: Proper divine name; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Covenant name of Israel’s God.
- אֱלֹהֵי (ʾelohei) – Root: אלה; Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “the God of”; Notes: In construct with Yisraʾel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) – Root: ישראל; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: Refers to the covenant people.
- כֹּה (koh) – Root: Adverb; Form: Demonstrative adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis before a prophetic instruction.
- תֹאמְרוּ (toʾmeru) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall say”; Notes: Direct instruction to the messengers.
- אֶל (ʾel) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
- מֶלֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “king of”; Notes: In construct with Yehudah.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah) – Root: יהודה; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehudah”; Notes: Refers to the kingdom of Judah.
- הַשֹּׁלֵחַ (ha-sholeaḥ) – Root: שלח; Form: Qal participle masculine singular with article; Translation: “who sends”; Notes: Describes the king’s act of commissioning the envoys.
- אֶתְכֶם (ʾetkhem) – Root: את; Form: Direct object marker + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “you”; Notes: The envoys being sent.
- אֵלַי (ʾelay) – Root: אל; Form: Preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to Yirmeyahu as recipient.
- לְדָרְשֵׁנִי (le-dorsheni) – Root: דרשׁ; Form: Preposition + Qal infinitive construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to inquire of me”; Notes: Refers to seeking divine counsel.
- הִנֵּה (hinneh) – Root: Interjection; Form: Demonstrative particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the message.
- חֵיל (ḥeil) – Root: חיל; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “army”; Notes: Refers to the military forces of Parʿo.
- פַּרְעֹה (Parʿo) – Root: Egyptian royal title; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo” (Pharaoh); Notes: King of Mitsrayim.
- הַיֹּצֵא (ha-yotse) – Root: יצא; Form: Qal participle masculine singular with article; Translation: “that went out”; Notes: Describes the army’s movement.
- לָכֶם (lakhem) – Root: לכם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of help directed toward Yehudah.
- לְעֶזְרָה (le-ʿezrah) – Root: עזר; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for help”; Notes: Denotes intended military support.
- שָׁב (shav) – Root: שוב; Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “has returned / is returning”; Notes: Indicates reversal, the army going back.
- לְאַרְצוֹ (le-artso) – Root: ארץ; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to his land”; Notes: Refers to Parʿo’s homeland, Mitsrayim.
- מִצְרָיִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim” (Egypt); Notes: Geographical name, land of Egypt.