וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ עַבְדֵ֨י פַרְעֹ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו עַד־מָתַי֙ יִהְיֶ֨ה זֶ֥ה לָ֨נוּ֙ לְמֹוקֵ֔שׁ שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְיַֽעַבְד֖וּ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם הֲטֶ֣רֶם תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֥י אָבְדָ֖ה מִצְרָֽיִם׃
And the servants of Parʿo said to him, “Until when will this be a snare for us? Send the men, and let them serve YHWH their God. Do you not yet know that Mitsrayim is destroyed?
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְרוּ֩ (vayomru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp with vav consecutive; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Indicates a narrative sequence.
- עַבְדֵ֨י (ʿavdei) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “The servants of”; Notes: Refers to those serving Parʿo.
- פַרְעֹ֜ה (Parʿo) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to the Pharaoh of Egypt.
- אֵלָ֗יו (elav) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Refers to Parʿo.
- עַד־מָתַי֙ (ʿad-matay) – Root: מתי (m-t-y); Form: Adverbial phrase; Translation: “Until when”; Notes: Expresses exasperation or inquiry.
- יִהְיֶ֨ה (yihyeh) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Will it be”; Notes: Refers to a future or ongoing state.
- זֶ֥ה (zeh) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the plagues or events.
- לָ֨נוּ֙ (lanu) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “To us”; Notes: Expresses the perspective of the speakers.
- לְמֹוקֵ֔שׁ (lemokeish) – Root: מוקש (m-q-sh); Form: Noun, masculine singular with preposition; Translation: “A snare”; Notes: A metaphor for a trap or danger.
- שַׁלַּח֙ (shalaḥ) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2ms; Translation: “Send”; Notes: A direct command.
- אֶת־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים (et-haʾanashim) – Root: אנש (ʾ-n-sh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “The men”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- וְיַֽעַבְד֖וּ (veyaʿavdu) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp with vav consecutive; Translation: “And let them serve”; Notes: Refers to worshiping YHWH.
- אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה (et-YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Direct object marker + Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenant name of God.
- אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם (ʾeloheihem) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “Their God”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites’ deity.
- הֲטֶ֣רֶם (haterem) – Root: טרם (t-r-m); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Do you not yet”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- תֵּדַ֔ע (tedaʿ) – Root: ידע (y-d-ʿ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 2ms; Translation: “Know”; Notes: Refers to awareness or understanding.
- כִּ֥י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “That”; Notes: Introduces the explanation.
- אָבְדָ֖ה (ʾavdah) – Root: אבד (ʾ-v-d); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3fs; Translation: “Is destroyed”; Notes: Refers to the devastation of Egypt.
- מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (mitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Refers to the land of Egypt.