OET interlinear ISA 36:4

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

וַ⁠יֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵי⁠הֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַ⁠מֶּ֤לֶךְ הַ⁠גָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַ⁠בִּטָּח֛וֹן הַ⁠זֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said to,them great//chief/captain field_commander say now to/towards Ḩizqiy^yāh thus he/it_had_said the=king (the),great king ʼAshshūr what [is]_the,trust the=this which/who base )

See the discussion in the introduction to this chapter of the multiple levels of quotation in verses 4–20. There are three levels of quotation in this verse. The author is quoting what the Rabshakeh said (level 1). The Rabshakeh tells Hezekiah’s officials what he wants them to say to Hezekiah (level 2). This includes a quotation from the king of Assyria (level 3). Use the appropriate punctuation in your language to mark these levels of quotation. Alternatively, you could translate this so that there are not second-level or third-level quotations.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

וַ⁠יֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵי⁠הֶם֙ רַב־שָׁקֵ֔ה אִמְרוּ־נָ֖א אֶל־חִזְקִיָּ֑הוּ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הַ⁠מֶּ֤לֶךְ הַ⁠גָּדוֹל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר מָ֧ה הַ⁠בִּטָּח֛וֹן הַ⁠זֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said to,them great//chief/captain field_commander say now to/towards Ḩizqiy^yāh thus he/it_had_said the=king (the),great king ʼAshshūr what [is]_the,trust the=this which/who base )

If it would be clearer in your language, you could translate all of this long quotation in such a way that there will not be quotations within quotations, starting in this verse. Alternate translation: [And the Rabshakeh told them, “Tell Hezekiah that the great king, the king of Assyria, wants to know what this trust is that Hezekiah is trusting]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

אִמְרוּ

say

The implied “you” in the imperative say is plural here because the Rabshakeh is addressing all three of Hezekiah’s officials. So use the plural form here in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

מָ֧ה הַ⁠בִּטָּח֛וֹן הַ⁠זֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ

what (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said to,them great//chief/captain field_commander say now to/towards Ḩizqiy^yāh thus he/it_had_said the=king (the),great king ʼAshshūr what [is]_the,trust the=this which/who base )

The king of Assyria is using the question form for emphasis. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. Alternate translation: [There is no one in whom you can trust to protect you from us!]

Note 5 topic: writing-poetry

מָ֧ה הַ⁠בִּטָּח֛וֹן הַ⁠זֶּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּטָֽחְתָּ

what (Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said to,them great//chief/captain field_commander say now to/towards Ḩizqiy^yāh thus he/it_had_said the=king (the),great king ʼAshshūr what [is]_the,trust the=this which/who base )

The king of Assyria is using a construction in which a verb and its object come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have another way of saying this. Alternate translation: [What is this trust that you have] or [In whom are you trusting]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

בָּטָֽחְתָּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_said to,them great//chief/captain field_commander say now to/towards Ḩizqiy^yāh thus he/it_had_said the=king (the),great king ʼAshshūr what [is]_the,trust the=this which/who base )

The word you is singular here because the king of Assyria (speaking through the Rabshakeh) is addressing Hezekiah directly. The words “you” and “yourself” are singular in verses 20 and 21 for the same reason. So use singular forms in these verses in your translation if your language marks that distinction.