וַיְדַבֵּר אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אִם־֠הַיֹּום תִּֽהְיֶה־עֶ֜בֶד לָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ וַֽעֲבַדְתָּ֔ם וַעֲנִיתָ֕ם וְדִבַּרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם דְּבָרִ֣ים טֹובִ֑ים וְהָי֥וּ לְךָ֛ עֲבָדִ֖ים כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
And he spoke to him, saying, “If today you will be a servant to this people, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
Morphology
- וַיְדַבֵּר (va-yedabber) – Root: דבר (d.b.r); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he spoke”; Notes: Emphatic form of speech used for direct address.
- אֵלָ֜יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾ.l); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Reḥavʿam.
- לֵאמֹ֗ר (leʾemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ.m.r); Form: Preposition + infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the content of the speech.
- אִם (ʾim) – Form: Conditional particle; Translation: “if”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
- הַיֹּום (ha-yom) – Root: יום (y.w.m); Form: Definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “today”; Notes: Temporal marker of immediacy.
- תִּֽהְיֶה־עֶ֜בֶד (tiheyeh-ʿeved) – Root: היה (h.y.h) + עבד (ʿ.b.d); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine singular + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “you will be a servant”; Notes: Conditional clause specifying behavior.
- לָעָ֤ם (la-ʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ.m); Form: Preposition + definite noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to the people”; Notes: Refers to Yisraʾel.
- הַזֶּה (ha-zeh) – Form: Demonstrative adjective, masculine singular; Translation: “this”; Notes: Modifies “people.”
- וַֽעֲבַדְתָּ֔ם (va-ʿavadta-m) – Root: עבד (ʿ.b.d); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix (them); Translation: “and serve them”; Notes: Continuation of condition.
- וַעֲנִיתָ֕ם (va-ʿanita-m) – Root: ענה (ʿ.n.h); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular + suffix (them); Translation: “and answer them”; Notes: Refers to a gentle or appropriate response.
- וְדִבַּרְתָּ֥ (ve-dibbarta) – Root: דבר (d.b.r); Form: Piel perfect 2nd person masculine singular; Translation: “and speak”; Notes: Continues the series of conditional behaviors.
- אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם (aleihem) – Root: אל (ʾ.l); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the people.
- דְּבָרִ֣ים (devarim) – Root: דבר (d.b.r); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “words”; Notes: Refers to kind or wise speech.
- טֹובִ֑ים (tovim) – Root: טוב (ṭ.w.b); Form: Adjective, masculine plural; Translation: “good”; Notes: Qualifies “words.”
- וְהָי֥וּ (ve-hayu) – Root: היה (h.y.h); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural with vav; Translation: “then they will be”; Notes: Consequent of the conditional clause.
- לְךָ֛ (lekha) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to you” / “for you”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- עֲבָדִ֖ים (ʿavadim) – Root: עבד (ʿ.b.d); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “servants”; Notes: Denotes loyal subjects.
- כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים (khol-ha-yamim) – Root: יום (y.w.m); Form: Construct noun + definite plural noun; Translation: “all the days”; Notes: Idiomatic expression for perpetuity.