וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔ יִֽהְיֶה־נָּ֛א דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לִמְנוּחָ֑ה כִּ֣י כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ הַטֹּ֣וב וְהָרָ֔ע וַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃ פ
And your maidservant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king now be for rest, for like the angel of God so is my lord the king, to discern good and evil. And may YHWH your God be with you.’”
Morphology
- וַתֹּ֨אמֶר (va-toʾmer) – Root: אמר; Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person feminine singular; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Resumes speech of the woman.
- שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ (shifḥatkha) – Root: שפחה; Form: Noun feminine singular + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant-woman”; Notes: Humble self-reference.
- יִֽהְיֶה־נָּ֛א (yihyeh-na) – Root: היה; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + entreaty particle; Translation: “may it be now”; Notes: Polite request or wish.
- דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִ֥י (devar-adoni) – Root: דבר, אדן; Form: Construct noun masculine singular + noun masculine singular with suffix; Translation: “the word of my lord”; Notes: Refers to the king’s decision.
- הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ha-melekh) – Root: מלך; Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the king”; Notes: Appositional to “my lord.”
- לִמְנוּחָ֑ה (limnucha) – Root: נוח; Form: Preposition + noun feminine singular; Translation: “for rest”; Notes: Indicates relief or peace from trouble.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- כְמַלְאַ֣ךְ (ke-malʾakh) – Root: מלאך; Form: Preposition + noun masculine singular; Translation: “like an angel”; Notes: Simile emphasizing wisdom/discernment.
- הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים (ha-Elohim) – Root: אלוה; Form: Definite noun masculine plural; Translation: “of God”; Notes: The divine reference in the simile.
- כֵּ֣ן (ken) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “so”; Notes: Reinforces comparison.
- אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ (adoni ha-melekh) – Root: אדן, מלך; Form: Noun masculine singular + definite noun; Translation: “my lord the king”; Notes: Vocative or appositional phrase.
- לִשְׁמֹ֨עַ֙ (lishmoaʿ) – Root: שׁמע; Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “to hear/discern”; Notes: Purpose or ability.
- הַטֹּ֣וב וְהָרָ֔ע (ha-tov ve-ha-ra) – Root: טוב, רעע; Form: Definite nouns masculine singular; Translation: “the good and the evil”; Notes: Moral discernment.
- וַֽיהוָ֥ה (va-YHWH) – Root: Divine name; Form: Conjunction + proper noun; Translation: “and may YHWH”; Notes: Subject of final blessing.
- אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (Elohekha) – Root: אלוה; Form: Noun masculine plural with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your God”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as king’s God.
- יְהִ֥י (yehi) – Root: היה; Form: Qal jussive 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “be”; Notes: Expresses blessing/wish.
- עִמָּֽךְ (ʿimmakh) – Root: עם; Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Part of the concluding benediction.