מִפְּנֵי֙ הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים כִּ֥י יָרְא֖וּ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הִכָּ֞ה יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בֶּן־נְתַנְיָ֗ה אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֨הוּ֙ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הִפְקִ֥יד מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ ס
Because of the Kasdim, for they were afraid of them, for Yishmaʿel son of Netanya had struck down Gedalyahu son of Aḥiqam, whom the king of Bavel had appointed in the land.
Morphology
- מִפְּנֵי (mi-penei) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition מִן + plural construct; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Expresses cause or reason.
- הַכַּשְׂדִּים (ha-Kasdim) – Root: כשׂד (Kasdim); Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “the Kasdim”; Notes: Refers to the Babylonians/Chaldeans.
- כִּי (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces explanation.
- יָרְאוּ (yarʾu) – Root: ירא (yareʾ); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they feared”; Notes: Indicates their fear of Babylonian reprisal.
- מִפְּנֵיהֶם (mi-peneihem) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition מִן + plural construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “from before them”; Notes: Specifies object of fear (the Kasdim).
- כִּי־הִכָּה (ki-hikkah) – Root: נכה (nakhah); Form: Conjunction + Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “for [he] struck down”; Notes: Cause for fear—assassination of Babylon’s appointee.
- יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) – Root: ישׁמעאל (Yishmaʿel); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yishmaʿel”; Notes: The assassin.
- בֶּן־נְתַנְיָה (ben-Netanyah) – Root: נתניה (Netanyah); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Netanyah”; Notes: Patronymic identification.
- אֶת־גְּדַלְיָהוּ (et-Gedalyahu) – Root: גדליה (Gedalyahu); Form: Direct object marker + proper noun; Translation: “Gedalyahu”; Notes: Babylonian-appointed governor of Yehudah.
- בֶּן־אֲחִיקָם (ben-Aḥiqam) – Root: אחיקם (Aḥiqam); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “son of Aḥiqam”; Notes: Patronymic for Gedalyahu.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Refers to Gedalyahu.
- הִפְקִיד (hifqid) – Root: פקד (paqad); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “had appointed”; Notes: Refers to Babylonian installation of Gedalyahu as governor.
- מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל (melekh-Bavel) – Root: מלך (melekh), בבל (Bavel); Form: Construct phrase; Translation: “king of Bavel”; Notes: Refers to Nebuchadnezzar.
- בָּאָרֶץ (ba-aretz) – Root: ארץ (ʾeretz); Form: Preposition ב + definite noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the land”; Notes: The land of Yehudah under Babylonian control.