וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ כֹּ֚ל שָׂרֵ֣י מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַתָּ֑וֶךְ נֵרְגַ֣ל שַׂר־֠אֶצֶר סַֽמְגַּר־נְב֞וּ שַׂר־סְכִ֣ים רַב־סָרִ֗יס נֵרְגַ֤ל שַׂר־אֶ֨צֶר֙ רַב־מָ֔ג וְכָל־שְׁאֵרִ֔ית שָׂרֵ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃
And all the officials of the king of Bavel came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal Sar-etser, Samgar-nevo, Sar-sekhim the Rav-saris, Nergal Sar-etser the Rav-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Bavel.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they came”; Notes: Introduces the entry of the Babylonian officials.
- כֹּל (kol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “all”; Notes: Emphasizes the totality of the officials.
- שָׂרֵי (sarei) – Root: שר (sar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “officials of”; Notes: Refers to high-ranking leaders or officers.
- מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל (melekh-Bavel) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Construct chain: noun masculine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Specifies allegiance of the officials.
- וַיֵּשְׁבוּ (va-yeshvu) – Root: ישׁב (yashav); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “and they sat”; Notes: Indicates occupation or taking position.
- בְּשַׁעַר (be-shaʿar) – Root: שׁער (shaʿar); Form: Preposition בְּ + noun masculine singular; Translation: “in the gate”; Notes: Refers to the city’s entry point, often symbolizing authority.
- הַתָּוֶךְ (ha-tavekh) – Root: תווך (tavekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the middle”; Notes: Refers to the central or inner gate.
- נֵרְגַַל־שַׂר־אֶצֶר (Nergal-Sharetser) – Root: Akkadian origin; Form: Proper noun compound; Translation: “Nergal-Sharetser”; Notes: A Babylonian official’s name.
- סַמְגַּר־נְבוּ (Samgar-Nevo) – Root: Akkadian origin; Form: Proper noun compound; Translation: “Samgar-Nevo”; Notes: Likely another Babylonian officer, possibly of religious significance to the god Nebo.
- שַׂר־סְכִים (Sar-Sekhīm) – Root: שר (sar); Form: Construct chain: noun + proper noun; Translation: “Sarsekhim”; Notes: Personal name of a Babylonian commander.
- רַב־סָרִיס (rav-saris) – Root: סרס (saris); Form: Noun compound with title; Translation: “the Rab-saris (chief officer/eunuch)”; Notes: A high-ranking title in Babylonian administration.
- נֵרְגַַל־שַׂר־אֶצֶר (Nergal-Sharetser) – Root: Akkadian origin; Form: Proper noun compound; Translation: “Nergal-Sharetser”; Notes: Mentioned a second time in the verse with a different title.
- רַב־מָג (rav-mag) – Root: מג (mag); Form: Noun compound with title; Translation: “the Rab-mag (chief magus/diviner)”; Notes: Title for Babylonian high official connected with wisdom or divination.
- וְכָל־שְׁאֵרִית (ve-khol-sheʾerit) – Root: שׁאר (shaʾar); Form: Conjunction + noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “and all the rest of”; Notes: Refers to remaining officials not individually named.
- שָׂרֵי (sarei) – Root: שר (sar); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “officials of”; Notes: Second reference to officials, now as the remainder group.
- מֶלֶךְ (melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Noun masculine singular construct; Translation: “king of”; Notes: Part of the construct phrase.
- בָּבֶל (Bavel) – Root: בבל (Bavel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Babylon, capital of the empire.