וְ֠עַתָּה אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֜אתִי לְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲדֹנִי֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה כִּ֥י יֵֽרְאֻ֖נִי הָעָ֑ם וַתֹּ֤אמֶר שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ֙ אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אוּלַ֛י יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר אֲמָתֹֽו׃
And now, that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people made me afraid. And your servant-woman said, ‘Let me now speak to the king; perhaps the king will do the word of his handmaid.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה (ve-ʿattah) – Root: עת (ʿet); Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Transition to the reason for her speaking.
- אֲשֶׁר־בָּאתִי (asher-baʾti) – Root: בוא (boʾ); Form: Relative particle + Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “that I have come”; Notes: Relative clause explaining the motive.
- לְדַבֵּ֨ר (le-dabber) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel infinitive construct; Translation: “to speak”; Notes: Purpose clause.
- אֶל־הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (el-ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Object of the infinitive.
- אֲדֹנִי֙ (adoni) – Root: אדן (adon); Form: Noun masculine singular + 1st person suffix; Translation: “my lord”; Notes: Honorific title.
- אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר (et-ha-davar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Accusative marker + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “this word”; Notes: Direct object of “to speak.”
- הַזֶּ֔ה (ha-zeh) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Modifies “word.”
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces causal clause.
- יֵֽרְאֻ֖נִי (yereʾuni) – Root: ירא (yare); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “they made me afraid”; Notes: Refers to the people.
- הָעָ֑ם (ha-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿam); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the people”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- וַתֹּאמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “and she said”; Notes: Refers to the woman speaking again.
- שִׁפְחָֽתְךָ (shifḥatkha) – Root: שפחה (shifḥah); Form: Noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant-woman”; Notes: Humble self-reference.
- אֲדַבְּרָה־נָּא (adabberah-na) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Piel cohortative 1st person singular + entreaty particle; Translation: “let me speak, please”; Notes: Respectful appeal.
- אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (el-ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Goal of the speech.
- אוּלַ֛י (ʾulay) – Root: Interjection; Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Introduces a hopeful outcome.
- יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה (yaʿaseh) – Root: עשה (ʿasah); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will do”; Notes: Refers to the king’s expected action.
- הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך (melekh); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר (et-devar) – Root: דבר (davar); Form: Accusative marker + construct noun masculine singular; Translation: “the word of”; Notes: Leads into construct phrase.
- אֲמָתֹֽו (ʾamato) – Root: אמה (ʾamah); Form: Noun feminine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his maidservant”; Notes: The woman referring to herself again with humility.