וְהָיָ֕ה כִּֽי־יֹאמְר֥וּ אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם בְּנֵיכֶ֑ם מָ֛ה הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לָכֶֽם׃
And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What is this service to you?’
Morphology
- וְהָיָ֕ה (vehayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “And it shall be”; Notes: Introduces a future scenario or event.
- כִּֽי־יֹאמְר֥וּ (ki-yomru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “When they say”; Notes: Refers to the potential inquiry of the children.
- אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (aleikhem) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + 2mp suffix; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Refers to the question directed to the parents.
- בְּנֵיכֶ֑ם (beneikhem) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct + 2mp suffix; Translation: “Your children”; Notes: Refers to the next generation of Israelites.
- מָ֛ה (mah) – Root: N/A; Form: Interrogative pronoun; Translation: “What”; Notes: Introduces the question about the service.
- הָעֲבֹדָ֥ה (haʿavodah) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “The service”; Notes: Refers to the Pesah observance.
- הַזֹּ֖את (hazot) – Root: N/A; Form: Demonstrative pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Specifies the particular service being questioned.
- לָכֶֽם׃ (lakhem) – Root: ל (l); Form: Preposition + 2mp suffix; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Indicates the perspective of the children regarding the parents’ observance.