וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ לְבִנְךָ֔ עֲבָדִ֛ים הָיִ֥ינוּ לְפַרְעֹ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּוצִיאֵ֧נוּ יְהוָ֛ה מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם בְּיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃
then you shall say to your son, ‘We were slaves to Parʿo in Mitsrayim, and YHWH brought us out of Mitsrayim with a mighty hand.
Morphology
- וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (ve-amarta) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 2nd person masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: Refers to the act of explaining to the next generation.
- לְבִנְךָ֔ (le-vinkha) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct with preposition and 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your son”; Notes: Refers to addressing one’s child.
- עֲבָדִ֛ים (avadim) – Root: עבד (ʿavad); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “slaves”; Notes: Describes the Israelites’ condition in Mitsrayim.
- הָיִ֥ינוּ (hayinu) – Root: היה (hayah); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “we were”; Notes: Refers to a past state of servitude.
- לְפַרְעֹ֖ה (le-Parʿo) – Root: פרעה (Parʿo); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “to Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to the Pharaoh of Egypt.
- בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם (be-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “in Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt.
- וַיֹּוצִיאֵ֧נוּ (va-yotzʾeinu) – Root: יצא (yatsaʾ); Form: Hifil imperfect 3rd person masculine singular with 1st person plural suffix and conjunction; Translation: “and He brought us out”; Notes: Indicates divine deliverance.
- יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (YHWH); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם (mi-Mitsrayim) – Root: מצרים (Mitsrayim); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “from Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to Egypt as the place of bondage.
- בְּיָ֥ד (be-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct with preposition; Translation: “with a hand”; Notes: Metaphorically refers to power or strength.
- חֲזָקָֽה (ḥazakah) – Root: חזק (ḥazak); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “mighty”; Notes: Describes the strength of God’s deliverance.