יְהוָ֞ה

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 יְהוָ֞ה

   ye-ho-VAH

   O LORD
2. clause🔊 וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל חִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אַתָּה־ה֤וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ

   va-yit-pa-LEL khiz-ki-YA-hu lif-NE ye-ho-VAH va-yo-MAR ye-ho-VAH e-lo-HE yis-ra-EL yo-SHEV ha-khe-ru-VIM a-TA-HU ha-e-lo-HIM le-vad-DE-kha le-KHOL mam-le-KHOT ha-A-rets

   and he prayed Hezekiah before the LORD and he said O LORD God of Israel sitting or enthroned the cherubim you are the God alone, you for all kingdoms of the earth
3. sentence🔊 וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל חִזְקִיָּ֜הוּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב הַכְּרֻבִ֔ים אַתָּה־ה֤וּא הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ לְבַדְּךָ֔ לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ אַתָּ֣ה עָשִׂ֔יתָ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

   va-yit-pa-LEL khiz-ki-YA-hu lif-NE ye-ho-VAH va-yo-MAR ye-ho-VAH e-lo-HE yis-ra-EL yo-SHEV ha-khe-ru-VIM a-TA-HU ha-e-lo-HIM le-vad-DE-kha le-KHOL mam-le-KHOT ha-A-rets a-TA a-SI-ta et-ha-sha-MA-yim ve-et-ha-A-rets

   and he prayed Hezekiah before the LORD and he said O LORD God of Israel sitting or enthroned the cherubim you are the God alone, you for all kingdoms of the earth you you have made the heavens and the earth

Exegesis

The prepositional phrase lifnei YHWH {לִפְנֵי יְהוָה | lip̄-nê Yə-hō-wāh} ‘before/in the presence of the LORD’ frames the prayer as an audience with God, not merely private reflection.

The address YHWH elohei yisrael {יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל | Yə-hō-wāh ʾĕ-lō-hê yiś-rā-ʾēl} ‘LORD, God of Israel’ establishes both covenantal relationship and national loyalty in a crisis setting.

Root and etymology

h-w-h🔊 ה־ו־ה

“to be, exist”

• 🔊 אֶהְיֶהehyehI AMExodus 3:14