וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח פַּרְעֹה֮ אֶת־הָעָם֒ וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים דֶּ֚רֶךְ אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים כִּ֥י קָרֹ֖וב ה֑וּא כִּ֣י אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם הָעָ֛ם בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם מִלְחָמָ֖ה וְשָׁ֥בוּ מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃
And it came to pass, when Parʿo sent the people away, that God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Pelishtim, although it was near, for God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Mitsrayim.’
Morphology
- וַיְהִ֗י (vayehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Introduces a narrative sequence.
- בְּשַׁלַּ֣ח (beshallekh) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Preposition + Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct; Translation: “When [he] sent”; Notes: Refers to Parʿo’s action of releasing the Israelites.
- פַּרְעֹה֮ (Parʿo) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh, king of Mitsrayim.
- אֶת־הָעָם֒ (et-haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Direct object marker + Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- וְלֹא־נָחָ֣ם (velo-naḥam) – Root: נחה (n-ḥ-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Hiphil, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “And [He] did not lead them”; Notes: Refers to God’s decision to avoid the direct route.
- אֱלֹהִ֗ים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- דֶּ֚רֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך (d-r-kh); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “The way”; Notes: Indicates a route or path.
- אֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים (eretz Pelishtim) – Root: ארץ (ʾ-r-ts) + פלשׁת (p-l-sh-t); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + Proper noun; Translation: “The land of the Philistines”; Notes: Refers to a geographic area near Mitsrayim.
- כִּ֥י קָרֹ֖וב (ki karov) – Root: קרב (q-r-v); Form: Conjunction + Adjective, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Although it was near”; Notes: Explains why the route was logical but avoided.
- ה֑וּא (hu) – Root: N/A; Form: Pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “It”; Notes: Refers to the route.
- כִּ֣י אָמַ֣ר (ki amar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “For [He] said”; Notes: Introduces God’s reasoning.
- אֱלֹהִ֗ים (ʾelohim) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “God”; Notes: Repeated reference to the divine.
- פֶּֽן־יִנָּחֵ֥ם (pen-yinnaḥem) – Root: נחם (n-ḥ-m); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Lest they change their minds”; Notes: Expresses concern about their fear.
- הָעָ֛ם (haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers again to the Israelites.
- בִּרְאֹתָ֥ם (birotam) – Root: ראה (r-ʾ-h); Form: Preposition + Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct + 3mp suffix; Translation: “When they see”; Notes: Indicates their reaction to danger.
- מִלְחָמָ֖ה (milḥamah) – Root: לחם (l-ḥ-m); Form: Noun, feminine singular absolute; Translation: “War”; Notes: Represents the potential conflict.
- וְשָׁ֥בוּ (veshavu) – Root: שוב (sh-w-b); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3mp; Translation: “And return”; Notes: Refers to the possibility of retreat.
- מִצְרָֽיְמָה׃ (Mitsraymah) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Proper noun with directional suffix; Translation: “To Mitsrayim”; Notes: Indicates the potential destination of their return.