Isaiah 36:1

Authorized King James Version

Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיְהִ֡י
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#2
בְּאַרְבַּע֩
Now it came to pass in the fourteenth
four
#3
עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה
ten (only in combination), i.e., -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth
#4
שָׁנָ֜ה
year
a year (as a revolution of time)
#5
מֶֽלֶךְ
king
a king
#6
חִזְקִיָּ֗הוּ
Hezekiah
chizkijah, a king of judah, also the name of two other israelites
#7
עָלָ֞ה
came up
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
#8
סַנְחֵרִ֤יב
that Sennacherib
sancherib, an assyrian king
#9
מֶֽלֶךְ
king
a king
#10
אַשּׁוּר֙
of Assyria
ashshur, the second son of shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e., assyria), its region and its empire
#11
עַ֣ל
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
#12
כָּל
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
#13
עָרֵ֧י
cities
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
#14
יְהוּדָ֛ה
of Judah
jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory
#15
הַבְּצֻר֖וֹת
against all the defenced
to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e., inaccessible by height or fortification)
#16
וַֽיִּתְפְּשֵֽׂם׃
and took
to manipulate, i.e., seize; chiefly to capture, wield, specifically, to overlay; figuratively, to use unwarrantably

Analysis

This verse develops the salvation theme central to Isaiah. The concept of divine revelation reflects the development of salvation within biblical theology. The literary structure and word choice here contribute to biblical literature contributing to the canon's theological witness, advancing the author's theological argument. The original language emphasizes careful word choice that would have carried specific theological weight for the original audience, providing deeper understanding of the author's theological intention.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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