וְעַתָּ֡ה צַוֵּה֩ וְיִכְרְתוּ־לִ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים מִן־הַלְּבָנֹ֗ון וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ יִהְי֣וּ עִם־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּשְׂכַ֤ר עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לְךָ֔ כְּכֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר תֹּאמֵ֑ר כִּ֣י אַתָּ֣ה יָדַ֗עְתָּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין בָּ֛נוּ אִ֛ישׁ יֹדֵ֥עַ לִכְרָת־עֵצִ֖ים כַּצִּדֹנִֽים׃
And now command that they cut down cedars for me from the Levanon, and my servants shall be with your servants, and I will give the wages of your servants to you according to all that you say. For you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut trees like the Tsidonim.”
Morphology
- וְעַתָּ֡ה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿattah); Form: Conjunction with adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces a present appeal or directive.
- צַוֵּה֩ (tsaweh) – Root: צוה (tsavah); Form: Piel imperative, 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “command”; Notes: Strong directive from Shelomoh to Ḥiram.
- וְיִכְרְתוּ־לִ֨י (ve-yikhretu-li) – Root: כרת (karat); Form: Conjunction + Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + preposition + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and let them cut for me”; Notes: Imperfect used jussively with directive tone.
- אֲרָזִ֜ים (arazim) – Root: ארז (erez); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “cedars”; Notes: Refers to the valuable timber from Levanon.
- מִן־הַלְּבָנֹ֗ון (min-ha-Levanon) – Root: לבן (lavan); Form: Preposition + definite article + proper noun; Translation: “from the Levanon”; Notes: Mountain range famous for its cedars.
- וַֽעֲבָדַי֙ (va-ʿavaday) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “and my servants”; Notes: Subject of the following verb.
- יִהְי֣וּ (yihyu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Describes future cooperative labor.
- עִם־עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ (ʿim-ʿavadekha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Preposition + noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with your servants”; Notes: Indicates collaboration between workers.
- וּשְׂכַ֤ר (u-sekhar) – Root: שכר (sakhar); Form: Conjunction + noun masculine singular; Translation: “and the wages”; Notes: Object of the following verb “I will give”.
- עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ (ʿavadekha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “of your servants”; Notes: Construct chain showing possession of wages.
- אֶתֵּ֣ן (etten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal imperfect, 1st person singular; Translation: “I will give”; Notes: Volitional future action by Shelomoh.
- לְךָ֔ (lekha) – Root: לְ (le); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indirect object receiving the payment.
- כְּכֹ֖ל (ke-khol) – Root: כל (kol); Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “according to all”; Notes: Introduces standard of measure for payment.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (ʾasher) – Root: אשר (ʾasher); Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces relative clause defining “all”.
- תֹּאמֵ֑ר (toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal imperfect, 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you say”; Notes: Shelomoh promises payment per Ḥiram’s instruction.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason for request.
- אַתָּ֣ה (attah) – Root: אתה (attah); Form: Independent pronoun, 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you”; Notes: Subject of the following verb.
- יָדַ֗עְתָּ (yadaʿta) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal perfect, 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “you know”; Notes: Indicates factual knowledge.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the content of knowledge.
- אֵ֥ין (ein) – Root: אין (ʾein); Form: Negative existential particle; Translation: “there is no”; Notes: Denies the presence of a certain skill.
- בָּ֛נוּ (banu) – Root: אנחנו (ʾanaḥnu); Form: Preposition + 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “among us”; Notes: Refers to the people of Yisraʾel.
- אִ֛ישׁ (ʾish) – Root: איש (ʾish); Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “a man”; Notes: Subject of “knows”.
- יֹדֵ֥עַ (yodeaʿ) – Root: ידע (yadaʿ); Form: Qal participle, masculine singular; Translation: “knowing”; Notes: Participial clause describing “a man”.
- לִכְרָת־עֵצִ֖ים (likhrot-ʿetsim) – Root: כרת (karat), עץ (ʿets); Form: Infinitive construct with direct object plural; Translation: “to cut trees”; Notes: Describes the specific skill lacking in Yisraʾel.
- כַּצִּדֹנִֽים (ka-Tsidonim) – Root: צידון (Tsidon); Form: Preposition + proper noun masculine plural; Translation: “like the Tsidonim”; Notes: Tsidonim (Sidonians) were renowned woodcutters.