וְעַתָּה֙ לָ֣מָּה נָמ֔וּת כִּ֣י תֹֽאכְלֵ֔נוּ הָאֵ֥שׁ הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את אִם־יֹסְפִ֣ים אֲנַ֗חְנוּ לִ֠שְׁמֹעַ אֶת־קֹ֨ול יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ עֹ֖וד וָמָֽתְנוּ׃
And now, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us. If we continue to hear the voice of YHWH our God any longer, we shall die.
Morphology
- וְעַתָּה֙ (ve-ata) – Root: עתה (ʿata); Form: Conjunction with adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Indicates a transition or response.
- לָ֣מָּה (lama) – Root: למה (lama); Form: Interrogative; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- נָמ֔וּת (namut) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “should we die”; Notes: Expresses fear of death.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Explains the reason for the question.
- תֹֽאכְלֵ֔נוּ (toʾkhleinu) – Root: אכל (ʾakal); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person feminine singular with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “will consume us”; Notes: Refers to being devoured by fire.
- הָאֵ֥שׁ (ha-esh) – Root: אש (esh); Form: Definite article with noun, feminine singular; Translation: “the fire”; Notes: Refers to the divine fire.
- הַגְּדֹלָ֖ה (ha-gedolah) – Root: גדל (gadol); Form: Definite article with adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “the great”; Notes: Describes the intensity of the fire.
- הַזֹּ֑את (ha-zot) – Root: זה (zeh); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the fire.
- אִם־יֹסְפִ֣ים (im-yosfim) – Root: יסף (yasaf); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person plural; Translation: “if we continue”; Notes: Expresses a hypothetical condition.
- אֲנַ֗חְנוּ (anachnu) – Root: אנח (anach); Form: Pronoun, 1st person plural; Translation: “we”; Notes: Refers to the speakers.
- לִ֠שְׁמֹעַ (lishmoa) – Root: שמע (shamaʿ); Form: Qal infinitive construct; Translation: “to hear”; Notes: Refers to continued hearing of the divine voice.
- אֶת־קֹ֨ול (et-kol) – Root: קול (kol); Form: Direct object marker with noun, masculine singular; Translation: “the voice of”; Notes: Refers to the voice of God.
- יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) – Root: הוה (hwh); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ (Eloheinu) – Root: אלה (ʾeloh); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Emphasizes the relationship to the divine.
- עֹ֖וד (od) – Root: עוד (ʿod); Form: Adverb; Translation: “any longer”; Notes: Indicates continuity.
- וָמָֽתְנוּ (vamotnu) – Root: מות (mut); Form: Conjunction with Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we shall die”; Notes: Expresses the anticipated consequence.