וַתֹּ֖אמֶר לֵאמֹ֑ר דַּבֵּ֨ר יְדַבְּר֤וּ בָרִֽאשֹׁנָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שָׁאֹ֧ל יְשָׁאֲל֛וּ בְּאָבֵ֖ל וְכֵ֥ן הֵתַֽמּוּ׃
And she said, saying, “They used to speak in the beginning, saying, ‘Let them surely inquire at Avel,’ and so they settled matters.
Morphology
- וַתֹּאמֶר (vattomer) – Root: אמר; Form: Wayyiqtol Qal imperfect 3rd feminine singular; Translation: “And she said”; Notes: Narrative continuation introducing speech.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Common introductory formula for direct speech.
- דַּבֵּר (dabber) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel imperative masculine singular; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: Intensified command form.
- יְדַבְּרוּ (yedabberu) – Root: דבר; Form: Piel imperfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they used to speak”; Notes: Habitual or customary past usage.
- בָרִאשֹׁנָה (va-rishonah) – Root: ראשׁ; Form: Adverb from noun with definite article and directional suffix; Translation: “at first” or “in the beginning”; Notes: Temporal reference.
- לֵאמֹר (leʾmor) – Root: אמר; Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the custom.
- שָׁאֹל (shaʾol) – Root: שאל; Form: Infinitive absolute; Translation: “surely inquire”; Notes: Emphatic construction with following verb.
- יְשָׁאֲלוּ (yeshaʾalu) – Root: שאל; Form: Qal imperfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they will inquire”; Notes: Parallel to the infinitive absolute for emphasis.
- בְּאָבֵל (beʾAvel) – Root: אבל; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “at Avel”; Notes: Refers to the city of Avel.
- וְכֵן (ve-khen) – Root: כן; Form: Adverb; Translation: “and thus” or “and so”; Notes: Introduces result or outcome.
- הֵתַמּוּ (hetammu) – Root: תם; Form: Piel perfect 3rd masculine plural; Translation: “they finished” or “they settled”; Notes: Indicates completion or resolution.