In case you were wondering about this chapter for some obscure reason, this is the story of the assassination of Jehoram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel. To complete the context, I suppose we should do chapter 8 and 10 as well.
This is definitely a period of complete social breakdown in Israel and Judah, a bit of history not to be imitated or celebrated or applied. The behaviour described here is not a prescription for anyone.
The music is entirely derived from the accents in the Hebrew Bible. Introductions - letters, music, text and music, and terminology, are here. The text has been reviewed for errors against the Aleppo Codex.
The score is long so I have embedded it.
A typical introduction to prophetic speech |
There are also ornaments like the tarsin of verse 7 highlighting vengeance, and in later verses the telisha qetana highlighting asides. There are common combinations like the double qadma, and rarer ones like the tsinnor segol sequence. Because of its sheer volume, I will need a variety of approaches to musical phrases in the prose. I think we can note for now that the ornaments have the capacity to make musical comments on the text. These are untranslatable to our bias towards visual abstraction and power. We love vengeance for all the wrong reasons. The high C is a note of grief, not of approval. I repeat the concern from the Mishnah (b. Megilla 32a, on Ezekiel 20 verse 25 that if we hear the text without a melody, i.e. the tone of voice, we are likely to hear it wrong and get given (divine passive), or give ourselves "statutes that are not good and judgments that will not live in us".
1 And Elisha the prophet called
to one among the children of the prophets, saying to him, Attire your loins, and take this vial of oil in your hand, and come to the high ground of Gilead. |
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א ואלישע֙ הנב֔יא קר֕א לאח֖ד מבנ֣י הנביא֑ים וי֨אמר ל֜ו חג֣ר מתנ֗יך ו֠קח פ֣ך הש֤מן הזה֙ ביד֔ך ול֖ך רמ֥ת גלעֽד |
17 27 |
a valiwy hnbia qra lakd mbni
hnbiaim viamr lo kgor motniç vqk pç hwmn hzh bidç vlç rmot glyd |
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2 And you will come there. And you will see there Jehu, child of Jehoshaphat, child of Nimshi, and you will enter. And you will make him arise from among his kin, and you will have him go into an inner room. |
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ב וב֖את ש֑מה וראה־ש֠ם יה֨וא בן־יהושפ֜ט בן־נמש֗י וב֙את֙ והקֽמתו֙ מת֣וך אח֔יו והביאת֥ את֖ו ח֥דר בחֽדר |
5 36 |
b ubat wmh urah-wm ihua bn-ihowpT bn-nmwi ubat vhqmoto mtoç akiv vhbat aoto kdr bkdr |
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3 And you will take a vial of oil
that you will infuse on his head, and say, Thus says Yahweh, I have
anointed you king over Israel. Then open the gateway and withdraw, and do not tarry. |
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ג ולקחת֤ פך־הש֙מן֙ ויצקת֣ על־ראש֔ו ואֽמרת֙ כֽה־אמ֣ר יהו֔ה משחת֥יךֽ
למ֖לך אל־ישרא֑ל ופתחת֥ הד֛לת ונ֖סתה ול֥א תחכֽה |
35 15 |
g vlqkt pç-hwmn vixqt yl-rawo
vamrt ch-amr ihvh mwktiç lmlç al-iwral uptkt hdlt vnst vla tkch |
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4 And the lad went, the lad, the prophet, the high ground of Gilead. | |||
ד וי֧לך הנ֛ער הנ֥ער הנב֖יא רמ֥ת גלעֽד | 16 |
d vilç hnyr hnyr hnbia rmot glyd | |
5 And he came. And behold, the
chiefs of the force were sitting, and he said, A word I have for
you, O chief. And Jehu said, To whom among all of us? And he said, To you O chief. |
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ה ויב֗א והנ֨ה שר֤י הח֙יל֙ יֽשב֔ים וי֕אמר דב֥ר ל֛י אל֖יך הש֑ר וי֤אמר יהוא֙ אל־מ֣י מכל֔נו וי֖אמר אל֥יך השֽר |
24 19 |
h viboa vhnh wri hkil iowbim
viamr dbr li aliç hwr viamr ihua al-mi mculnu viamr aliç hwr |
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6 And he arose and he entered
towards the house. And he infused oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, over Israel. |
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ו וי֙קם֙ ויב֣א הב֔יתה ויצ֥ק הש֖מן אל־ראש֑ו וי֣אמר ל֗ו כֽה־אמ֤ר יהוה֙ אלה֣י ישרא֔ל משחת֧יךֽ למ֛לך אל־ע֥ם יהו֖ה אל־ישראֽל |
18 30 |
v viqm viboa hbith viixoq hwmn
al-rawo viamr lo ch-amr ihvh alohi iwral mwktiç lmlç al-ym ihvh al-iwral |
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7 And you will strike the house
of Ahab your lord, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, from the hand of Jezebel. |
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ז וה֨כית֔ה את־ב֥ית אחא֖ב אדנ֑יך ונקמת֞י דמ֣י עבד֣י הנביא֗ים ודמ֛י כל־עבד֥י יהו֖ה מי֥ד איזֽבל |
12 24 |
z vhcit at-bit akab adoniç vniqmti dmi ybdii hnbiaim udmi cl-ybdi ihvh mid aizbl |
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8 And the whole house of Ahab
will perish. And I will cut off of Ahab those who piss on the house wall, the contained and forsaken in Israel. |
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ח ואב֖ד כל־ב֣ית אחא֑ב והכרת֤י לאחאב֙ משת֣ין בק֔יר ועצ֥ור ועז֖וב בישראֽל |
7 21 |
k vabd cl-bit akab vhcrti lakab mwtin bqir vyxur vyzub biwral |
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9 And I will consign the house of
Ahab as the house of Jeroboam, child of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha, child of Achiyah. |
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ט ונֽתתי֙ את־ב֣ית אחא֔ב כב֖ית ירבע֣ם בן־נב֑ט וכב֖ית בעש֥א בן־אחיֽה |
16 8 |
T vntti at-bit akab cbit irobym
bn-nbT ucbit bywa bn-akiih |
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10 And Jezebel the dogs will eat,
in the division of Jezreel and there will be no entombment. And he opened the gateway and withdrew. |
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י ואת־איז֜בל יאכל֧ו הכלב֛ים בח֥לק יזרע֖אל וא֣ין קב֑ר ויפת֥ח הד֖לת וינֽס |
21 9 |
i vat-aizbl iaclu hclbim bklq
izryal vain qobr viptk hdlt vinos |
11 And Jehu came out to the
servants of his master, and one said to him, Is it well? Why has
this crazy come to you? And he said to them, You yourselves know the man and his blather. |
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יא ויה֗וא יצא֙ אל־עבד֣י אדנ֔יו וי֤אמר לו֙ השל֔ום מד֛וע בֽא־המשג֥ע
הז֖ה אל֑יך וי֣אמר אליה֔ם את֛ם ידעת֥ם את־הא֖יש ואת־שיחֽו |
30 18 |
ia vihua ixa al-ybdi adoniv viamr
lo hwlom mduy ba-hmwugy hzh aliç viamr alihm atm idytm at-haiw vat-wiko |
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12 And they said, Falsehood.
Tell, if you will, to us. And he said, Such as this and like this he said to me, saying, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel. |
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יב ויאמר֣ו ש֔קר הגד־נ֖א ל֑נו וי֗אמר כז֤את וכזאת֙ אמ֤ר אלי֙ לאמ֔ר כ֚ה אמ֣ר יהו֔ה משחת֥יךֽ למ֖לך אל־ישראֽל |
10 30 |
ib viamru wqr hgd-na lnu viamr czat vczat amr alii lamor ch amr ihvh mwktiç lmlç al-iwral |
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13 And they rushed headlong, and
they took each his garment that they put under him at the strong
bone of the stairs, and they sounded the shophar and said, Jehu is king. |
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יג וֽימהר֗ו ויקחו֙ א֣יש בגד֔ו ויש֥ימו תחת֖יו אל־ג֣רם הֽמעל֑ות וֽיתקעו֙ בשופ֔ר ויאמר֖ו מל֥ך יהֽוא |
23 14 |
ig vimhru viqku aiw bgdo viwimu
tktiv al-grm hmylot vitqyu bwopr viamru mlç ihua |
14 And Jehu child of Jehoshaphat
child of Nimshi colluded against Joram. (Joram was keeping the high ground of Gilead he and all Israel in the face of Hazael king of Aram. |
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יד ויתקש֗ר יה֛וא בן־יהושפ֥ט בן־נמש֖י אל־יור֑ם ויורם֩ הי֨ה שמ֜ר ברמ֣ת גלע֗ד ה֚וא וכל־ישרא֔ל מפנ֥י חזא֖ל מֽלך־ארֽם |
17 27 |
id vitqwr ihua bn-ihowpT bn-nmwi
al-iorm viorm hih womr brmot glyd hua vcl-iwral mpni kzal mlç-arm |
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15 And Jehoram the king returned
to be healed in Jezreel from the defeats that the Aramaeans struck
when they fought with Hazael king of Aram.) And Jehu said, If this is your integrity, do not let anyone securely go forth from the city to walk out to make it clear in Jezreel. |
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טו וישב֩ יהור֨ם המ֜לך להתרפ֣א ביזרע֗אל מן־המכים֙ אש֣ר יכ֣הו ארמ֔ים
בהל֣חמ֔ו את־חזא֖ל מ֣לך אר֑ם וי֤אמר יהוא֙ אם־י֣ש נפשכ֔ם אל־יצ֤א פליט֙ מן־הע֔יר לל֖כת להג֥יד ביזרעֽאל |
43 29 |
Tv viwb ihorm hmlç lhtrpa bizryal
mn-hmcim awr icuhu armim bhilkmo at-kzal mlç arm viamr ihua am-iw npwcm al-iixa pliT mn-hyir llct lhgid bizryal |
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16 And Jehu rode and went to
Jezreel, for Joram was laid out there, and Ahaziah king of Judah went down to see Joram. |
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טז וירכ֤ב יהוא֙ וי֣לך יזרע֔אלה כ֥י יור֖ם שכ֣ב ש֑מה וֽאחזיה֙ מ֣לך יהוד֔ה יר֖ד לרא֥ות את־יורֽם |
19 16 |
Tz vircb ihua vilç izryalh ci
iorm wocb wmh vakzih mlç ihudh ird lraot at-iorm |
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17 And the lookout stood on the
tower in Jezreel, and he saw a profusion of Jehu as he came. And he
said, A profusion I myself see. And Jehoram said, Take a rider, and send to encounter them, and let him say, Is it peace? |
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יז והצפה֩ עמ֨ד עֽל־המגד֜ל ביזרע֗אל וי֞רא את־שפע֤ת יהוא֙ בבא֔ו וי֕אמר
שפע֖ת אנ֣י רא֑ה וי֣אמר יהור֗ם ק֥ח רכ֛ב וֽשל֥ח לקראת֖ם ויאמ֥ר השלֽום |
33 20 |
iz vhxoph yomd yl-hmgdl bizryal
vira at-wpyt ihua bboao viamr wpyt ani roah viamr ihorm qk rcb uwlk lqratm viamr hwlom |
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18 And a rider went on the horse
to encounter him, and he said, Thus says the king, Is it peace? And
Jehu said, What is it to you? And for peace, turn around behind
me. And the lookout announced, saying, The messenger came up to them, and he does not return. |
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יח וילך֩ רכ֨ב הס֜וס לקראת֗ו וי֙אמר֙ כֽה־אמ֤ר המ֙לך֙ השל֔ום וי֧אמר
יה֛וא מה־לך֥ ולשל֖ום ס֣ב אֽל־אחר֑י ויג֤ד הצפה֙ לאמ֔ר בֽא־המלא֥ך עד־ה֖ם ולֽא־שֽב |
38 17 |
ik vilç rocb hsus lqrato viamr
ch-amr hmlç hwlom viamr ihua mh-lç ulwlom sob al-akrii vigd hxoph lamor ba-hmlaç yd-hm vla-wb |
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19 And he sent a second rider on
a horse, and he came to them and he said, Thus says the king,
Peace. And Jehu said, What is it to you? And for peace, turn around behind me. |
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יט וישל֗ח רכ֣ב סוס֮ שני֒ ויב֣א אלה֔ם וי֛אמר כֽה־אמ֥ר המ֖לך של֑ום וי֧אמר יה֛וא מה־לך֥ ולשל֖ום ס֥ב אֽל־אחרֽי |
25 16 |
iT viwlk rocb sus wni viboa alihm
viamr ch-amr hmlç wlom viamr ihua mh-lç ulwlom sob al-akrii |
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20 And the lookout announced,
saying, He came even to them, and he did not return. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu child of Nimshi, for with craziness he drives. |
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כ ויג֤ד הצפה֙ לאמ֔ר ב֥א עד־אליה֖ם ולֽא־ש֑ב והמנה֗ג כמנהג֙ יה֣וא בן־נמש֔י כ֥י בשגע֖ון ינהֽג |
16 19 |
c vigd hxoph lamor ba yd-alihm
vla-wb vhmnhg cmnhg ihua bn-nmwi ci bwigyon inhg |
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21 And Jehoram said, Hitch the
straps, and straps were hitched of his chariot. And Jehoram king of Israel went out, and Achaziah king of Judah, each in his chariot, and they went forth to encounter Jehu and found him in a part of Naboth the Jezreelite. |
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כא וי֤אמר יהורם֙ אס֔ר ויאס֖ר רכב֑ו ויצ֣א יהור֣ם מֽלך־י֠שראל ואחזי֨הו מֽלך־יהוד֜ה א֣יש ברכב֗ו ויֽצאו֙ לקר֣את יה֔וא וימצא֔הו בחלק֖ת נב֥ות היזרעאלֽי |
13 47 |
ca viamr ihorm asor viasor
rcbo viixa ihorm mlç-iwral vakzihu mlç-ihudh aiw brcbo viixau lqrat ihua vimxauhu bklqt nbot hizryali |
22 And it happened that when
Jehoram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he said, What peace while the harlotries of Jezebel your mother and her sorceries are many? |
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כב ויה֗י כרא֤ות יהורם֙ את־יה֔וא וי֖אמר השל֣ום יה֑וא וי֙אמר֙ מ֣ה השל֔ום עד־זנונ֞י איז֧בל אמך֛ וכשפ֖יה הרבֽים |
18 23 |
cb vihi craot ihorm at-ihua viamr
hwlom ihua viamr mh hwlom yd-znuni aizbl aimç ucwpih hrbim |
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23 And Jehoram turned his hands
and withdrew. And he said to Achaziah, Deceit, Ahaziah. |
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כג ויהפ֧ך יהור֛ם יד֖יו וינ֑ס וי֥אמר אל־אחזי֖הו מרמ֥ה אחזיֽה |
12 13 |
cg vihpoç ihorm idiv vinos viamr al-akzihu mrmh akzih |
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24 And Jehu filled his hand with
the bow, and struck Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out
from his heart, and he bowed down in his chariot. |
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כד ויה֞וא מל֧א יד֣ו בק֗שת וי֤ך את־יהורם֙ ב֣ין זרע֔יו ויצ֥א הח֖צי
מלב֑ו ויכר֖ע ברכבֽו |
29 6 |
cd vihua mila ido bqwt viç
at-ihorm bin zroyiv viixa hkxi mlibo vicry brcbo |
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25 And he said to Bdeqar, his
equerry, Lift up and cast him in the part of the field of Naboth the
Jezreelite, for remember, I and you rode as a pair behind Ahab his father, and Yahweh loaded on him this load. |
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כה וי֗אמר אל־בדקר֙ שֽלש֔ו ש֚א השלכ֔הו בחלק֕ת שד֖ה נב֣ות היזרעאל֑י כֽי־זכ֞ר אנ֣י וא֗תה א֣ת רכב֤ים צמדים֙ אֽחרי֙ אחא֣ב אב֔יו וֽיהוה֙ נש֣א על֔יו את־המש֖א הזֽה |
26 33 |
ch viamr al-bdqr wliwo wa hwlichu
bklqt wdh nbot hizryali ci-zcor ani vath at rocbim xmdim akri akab abiv vihvh nwa yliv at-hmwa hzh |
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26 Without fail, the blood of
Naboth and the blood of his children I have seen last night, an
oracle of Yahweh. And I will repay you in this division, an oracle
of Yahweh. So now bear and cast him in the division according to the word of Yahweh. |
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כו אם־ל֡א את־דמ֣י נבות֩ ואת־דמ֨י בנ֜יו רא֤יתי א֙מש֙ נאם־יהו֔ה
ושלמת֥י לך֛ בחלק֥ה הז֖את נאם־יהו֑ה ועת֗ה ש֧א השלכ֛הו בחלק֖ה כדב֥ר יהוֽה |
37 15 |
cv am-la at-dmi nbot vat-dmi bniv
raiti amw naum-ihvh vwilmti lç bklqh hzat naum-ihvh vyth wa hwlichu bklqh cdbr ihvh |
27 And Ahaziah king of Judah saw,
and withdrew by the way of the garden house. But Jehu pursued behind him, and he said, Also him. Strike him by the chariot in the ascent of terror, that is by Yiblam. And he withdrew to Megiddo, and died there. |
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כז ואחזי֤ה מֽלך־יהודה֙ רא֔ה וי֕נס ד֖רך ב֣ית הג֑ן וירד֨ף אחר֜יו יה֗וא ו֠יאמר גם־את֞ו הכ֣הו אל־המרכב֗ה במֽעלה־גור֙ אש֣ר אֽת־יבלע֔ם וי֥נס מגד֖ו וי֥מת שֽם |
19 43 |
cz vakzih mlç-ihudh rah vins drç
bit hgn virdof akriv ihua viamr gm-aoto hcuhu al-hmrcbh bmylh-gur awr at-iblym vins mgido vimt wm |
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28 And his servants made him ride
toward Jerusalem. And they entombed him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David. |
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כח וירכ֧בו את֛ו עבד֖יו ירושל֑מה ויקבר֨ו את֧ו בקברת֛ו עם־אבת֖יו בע֥יר דוֽד פ |
14 19 |
ck vircibu aoto ybdiv iruwlimh viqbru aoto bqburto ym-abotiv byir dvid p |
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29 And in the eleventh year of
Joram child of Ahab, Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah. |
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כט ובשנת֙ אח֣ת עשר֣ה שנ֔ה ליור֖ם בן־אחא֑ב מל֥ך אחזי֖ה על־יהודֽה |
15 9 |
cT ubwnt akt ywrh wnh liorm
bn-akab mlç akzih yl-ihudh |
30 And Jehu came to Jezreel, and
Jezebel heard of it. And she put antimony on her eyes, and made the best of her head, and looked down through the window. |
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ל ויב֥וא יה֖וא יזרע֑אלה ואיז֣בל שמע֗ה ות֨שם בפ֤וך עינ֙יה֙ ות֣יטב את־ראש֔ה ותשק֖ף בע֥ד החלֽון |
9 28 |
l viboa ihua izryalh vaizbl wmyh vtwm bpuç yinih vtiTb at-rawh vtwqf byd hklon |
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31 And Jehu entered at the
gate. And she said, Peace for Zimri who slew his master? |
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לא ויה֖וא ב֣א בש֑ער ות֣אמר השל֔ום זמר֖י הר֥ג אדנֽיו |
7 13 |
la vihua ba bwyr vtamr hwlom zmri horg adoniv |
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32 And he lifted up his face to
the window, and he said, Who is with me? Who? And to him, two or three eunuchs looked down. |
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לב ויש֤א פניו֙ אל־ה֣חל֔ון וי֕אמר מ֥י את֖י מ֑י וישק֣יפו אל֔יו שנ֥ים שלש֖ה סריסֽים |
16 14 |
lb viiwa pniv al-hklon viamr mi
aiti mi viwqipu aliv wniim wlowh srisim |
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33 And he said, Chuck her down.
And they chucked her down. And some of her blood was spattered into the house wall, and on the horses. And he trampled her. |
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לג וי֥אמר שמט֖וה וֽישמט֑וה וי֨ז מדמ֧ה אל־הק֛יר ואל־הסוס֖ים וֽירמסֽנה |
11 18 |
lg viamr wmTuh viwmTuh viiz mdmh al-hqir val-hsusim virmsnh |
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34 And he came in and he ate and
imbibed. And he said, Visit please this cursed woman and entomb her, because she is the daughter of a king. |
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לד ויב֖א וי֣אכל וי֑שת וי֗אמר פקדו־נ֞א את־הארור֤ה הזאת֙ וקבר֔וה כ֥י בת־מ֖לך הֽיא |
9 21 |
ld viboa viacl viwt viamr pqdu-na at-harurh hzat vqbruh ci bt-mlç hia |
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35 And they went to entomb
her, and found nothing of her except her skull and the feet and the palms of the hands. |
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לה וילכ֖ו לקבר֑ה ולא־מ֣צאו ב֗ה כ֧י אם־הגלג֛לת והרגל֖ים וכפ֥ות הידֽים |
6 22 |
lh vilcu lqobrh vla-mxau bh ci am-hgulgolt vhrgliim vcpot hidiim |
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36 And they returned and they
told him, and he said, The word of Yahweh it is that he spoke by the
hand of his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the division of Jezreel the dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel. |
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לו וישבו֮ ויג֣ידו לו֒ וי֙אמר֙ דבר־יהו֣ה ה֔וא אש֣ר דב֗ר ביד־עבד֛ו
אלי֥הו התשב֖י לאמ֑ר בח֣לק יזרע֔אל יאכל֥ו הכלב֖ים את־בש֥ר איזֽבל |
34 18 |
lv viwubu vigidu lo viamr
dbr-ihvh hua awr dibr bid-ybdo aliihu htwbi lamor bklq izryal iaclu hclbim at-bwr aizbl |
|
37 And the corpse of Jezebel will
be as compost on the surface of the field in the division of
Jezreel, that they will not say, This is Jezebel. |
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לז וֽהית֞ה נבל֣ת איז֗בל כד֛מן על־פנ֥י השד֖ה בח֣לק יזרע֑אל אש֥ר לֽא־יאמר֖ו ז֥את איזֽבל ס |
24 10 |
lz vhiith nblt aizbl cdomn yl-pni
hwdh bklq izryal awr la-iamru zat aizbl s |
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