הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֨יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י טֹ֥וב לָ֨נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Mitsrayim, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve Mitsrayim’? For it is better for us to serve Mitsrayim than to die in the wilderness.”
Morphology
- הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה (halo-zeh) – Root: N/A; Form: Interrogative particle + Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “Is this not”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- הַדָּבָ֗ר (hadavar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The word”; Notes: Refers to the prior statement made to Moshe.
- אֲשֶׁר֩ (asher) – Root: N/A; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “That”; Notes: Links the clause to the preceding phrase.
- דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ (dibarnu) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Verb, Piel, Perfect, 1cp; Translation: “We spoke”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites’ earlier words to Moshe.
- אֵלֶ֤יךָ (eleikha) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + 2ms suffix; Translation: “To you”; Notes: Indicates Moshe as the recipient of the words.
- בְמִצְרַ֨יִם֙ (beMitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + Proper noun; Translation: “In Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to their location during the prior statement.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leemor) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- חֲדַ֥ל (ḥadal) – Root: חדל (ḥ-d-l); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular; Translation: “Leave us alone”; Notes: Expresses a command directed to Moshe.
- מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (mimmenu) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “From us”; Notes: Indicates the object of the command.
- וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה (venaʿavda) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Cohortative, 1cp; Translation: “That we may serve”; Notes: Expresses intent to serve Mitsrayim.
- אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם (et-Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Accusative marker + Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to their Egyptian overlords.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces the reason for their statement.
- טֹ֥וב (tov) – Root: טוב (ṭ-w-b); Form: Adjective, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “Better”; Notes: Expresses preference.
- לָ֨נוּ֙ (lanu) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “For us”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites collectively.
- עֲבֹ֣ד (ʿavod) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “To serve”; Notes: Refers to their labor in Mitsrayim.
- אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם (et-Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Accusative marker + Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: Refers to their Egyptian taskmasters.
- מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ (mimmutenu) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Preposition + Infinitive construct + 1cp suffix; Translation: “Than to die”; Notes: Indicates their fear of death.
- בַּמִּדְבָּֽר (bammidbar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “In the wilderness”; Notes: Refers to their current location.