Exodus 22:7 (Exodus 22:8)

אִם־לֹ֤א יִמָּצֵא֙ הַגַּנָּ֔ב וְנִקְרַ֥ב בַּֽעַל־הַבַּ֖יִת אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים אִם־לֹ֥א שָׁלַ֛ח יָדֹ֖ו בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall be brought before the judges to determine whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s property.

Morphology

1. אִם־לֹ֤א (im-lo) – Root: אם (ʾ-m) + לא (l-ʾ); Form: Conditional particle + negation; Translation: “If not”; Notes: Introduces a conditional clause.
2. יִמָּצֵא֙ (yimmatze) – Root: מצא (m-tz-ʾ); Form: Verb, Nifal imperfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “Is found”; Notes: Refers to the thief.
3. הַגַּנָּ֔ב (hagannav) – Root: גנב (g-n-v); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The thief”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
4. וְנִקְרַ֥ב (veniqrav) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Conjunction + verb, Nifal imperfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “Shall be brought”; Notes: Indicates a legal action.
5. בַּֽעַל־הַבַּ֖יִת (baʿal-habbayit) – Root: בעל (b-ʿ-l) + בית (b-y-t); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The owner of the house”; Notes: Refers to the person responsible for the stored property.
6. אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים (el-haʾelohim) – Root: אל (ʾ-l) + אלהים (ʾ-l-h-y-m); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “To God”; Notes: Refers to the divine judge or judicial authority.
7. אִם־לֹ֥א (im-lo) – Root: אם (ʾ-m) + לא (l-ʾ); Form: Conditional particle + negation; Translation: “Whether not”; Notes: Introduces the condition to be examined.
8. שָׁלַ֛ח (shalach) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal perfect, third person masculine singular; Translation: “He has laid”; Notes: Describes the act of misuse or misappropriation.
9. יָדֹ֖ו (yado) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His hand”; Notes: Indicates personal action or responsibility.
10. בִּמְלֶ֥אכֶת (bimleʾkhet) – Root: מלאכה (m-l-ʾ-k-h); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “On the property of”; Notes: Refers to the entrusted goods.
11. רֵעֵֽהוּ (reʿehu) – Root: רע (r-ʿ); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + third person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “His neighbor”; Notes: Identifies the owner of the entrusted property.