| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with vayishma {וַיִּשְׁמַ֗ע | wayyišma‘}, a wayyiqtol verb signaling a new narrative action by the implied subject, the king of Assyria (Sennacherib), as established in 2 Kings 18–19. The preposition el {אֶל־ | ʾel} marks reported content. The construct Tirhaqah melek-Kush {תִּרְהָקָה מֶלֶך־כּוּשׁ | ṭirhāqāh mēleḵ kūš} identifies the report’s origin. The infinitive leemor {לֵאמֹר | lēʾmôr} introduces direct speech, with hinneh {הִנֵּה | hinnēh} adding immediacy. Yatsa {יָצָא | yāṣā’} perfect plus lehilachem {לְהִלָּחֵם | ləhiḷlāḥêm} expresses completed purpose. The vav-consecutive pair vayashav {וַיָּשָׁב | wayyāšāḇ} and vayishlach {וַיִּשְׁלַח | wayyišlāḥ} indicates result and continuation. Malakhim {מַלְאָכִים | malʾāḵīm} functions as the direct object, and the final leemor frames the envoys’ purpose. This structure is rendered in English SVO order while preserving the Hebrew narrative flow. |