OET interlinear ISA 37:14

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-plural

וַ⁠יִּקַּ֨ח חִזְקִיָּ֧הוּ אֶת־הַ⁠סְּפָרִ֛ים מִ⁠יַּ֥ד הַ⁠מַּלְאָכִ֖ים וַ⁠יִּקְרָאֵ֑⁠הוּ

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_took Ḩizqiy^yāh DOM the,letters from,the_hand_of of,the_messengers and,he,read_it and=he/it_ascended house_of YHWH and,he,spread_it_out Ḩizqiy^yāh to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH )

While the term writings is plural, the author’s use of the singular pronoun it in the next clause and the next sentence shows that Hezekiah received one letter from the king of Assyria. (His messengers apparently read the contents of this letter out loud to Hezekiah and then gave him the written copy of the message for confirmation.) So in this context, the term writings has the sense of “the things that the king had written.” You could indicate that explicitly in your translation if that would be helpful to your readers. You could also use singular forms instead of plural ones. Alternate translation: [Then the messengers handed Hezekiah a written copy of what they had said, and he read the things that the king had written] or [Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers, and he read it]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicitinfo

וַ⁠יַּ֨עַל֙

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_took Ḩizqiy^yāh DOM the,letters from,the_hand_of of,the_messengers and,he,read_it and=he/it_ascended house_of YHWH and,he,spread_it_out Ḩizqiy^yāh to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH )

In keeping with what is usual for his language and culture, Isaiah is marking travel for change in elevation, up. If this expression contains extra information that would not be natural to express in your language, you could shorten it. Alternate translation: [And he went]

Note 3 topic: translate-symaction

וַ⁠יִּפְרְשֵׂ֥⁠הוּ חִזְקִיָּ֖הוּ לִ⁠פְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה

(Some words not found in UHB: and=he/it_took Ḩizqiy^yāh DOM the,letters from,the_hand_of of,the_messengers and,he,read_it and=he/it_ascended house_of YHWH and,he,spread_it_out Ḩizqiy^yāh to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH )

When Hezekiah spread the letter out (unrolled the scroll on which it was written) so that the contents were visible to Yahweh, this was a symbolic action by which he was asking for help by calling Yahweh’s attention to what Sennacherib had written, specifically the claim that Yahweh was no different from the gods of other nations. (Hezekiah did not believe that Yahweh would not know what was in the letter if he did not unroll the scroll. Also, Sennacherib’s messengers had stated the contents out loud before giving him this written version.) If it would be helpful to your readers, you could explain the significance of this action in the text of your translation or in a footnote. Alternate translation: [and Hezekiah spread it out before Yahweh as an appeal for help]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לִ⁠פְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH

Here, to the face of represents being in front of Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [in front of Yahweh] or [where Yahweh could see it]