וַיִּצְמָ֨א שָׁ֤ם הָעָם֙ לַמַּ֔יִם וַיָּ֥לֶן הָעָ֖ם עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם לְהָמִ֥ית אֹתִ֛י וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י בַּצָּמָֽא׃
And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moshe and said, “Why is this that you have brought us up from Mitsrayim to kill me, my sons, and my livestock with thirst?”
Morphology
- וַיִּצְמָ֨א (vayitsma) – Root: צמא (ts-m-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he thirsted”; Notes: Refers to the people’s intense need for water.
- שָׁ֤ם (sham) – Root: N/A; Form: Adverb; Translation: “There”; Notes: Specifies the location of the event.
- הָעָם֙ (haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers to the children of Yisra’el.
- לַמַּ֔יִם (lamayim) – Root: מים (m-y-m); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine plural absolute with definite article; Translation: “For water”; Notes: Indicates the object of the people’s thirst.
- וַיָּ֥לֶן (vayyalen) – Root: לון (l-v-n); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he complained”; Notes: Expresses dissatisfaction with Moshe.
- הָעָ֖ם (haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular absolute with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Repeats the subject for emphasis.
- עַל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה (ʿal-Moshe) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition + Proper noun; Translation: “Against Moshe”; Notes: Identifies Moshe as the target of the people’s complaints.
- וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces their speech.
- לָ֤מָּה (lammah) – Root: N/A; Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Expresses the people’s questioning of Moshe’s actions.
- זֶּה֙ (zeh) – Root: N/A; Form: Demonstrative pronoun, masculine singular; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the perceived misfortune.
- הֶעֱלִיתָ֣נוּ (heʿelitanu) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Perfect, 2ms + 1cp suffix; Translation: “You have brought us up”; Notes: Accuses Moshe of leading them from Mitsrayim.
- מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם (mimmitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ts-r); Form: Preposition + Proper noun; Translation: “From Mitsrayim”; Notes: Highlights their departure from Egypt.
- לְהָמִ֥ית (lehamit) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Infinitive construct; Translation: “To kill”; Notes: Describes their fear of death.
- אֹתִ֛י (ʾoti) – Root: N/A; Form: Direct object pronoun, 1cs; Translation: “Me”; Notes: Refers to the speaker individually.
- וְאֶת־בָּנַ֥י (veʾet-banai) – Root: בן (b-n); Form: Conjunction + Direct object marker + Noun, masculine plural construct + 1cs suffix; Translation: “And my sons”; Notes: Includes the speaker’s children.
- וְאֶת־מִקְנַ֖י (veʾet-miqnai) – Root: מקנה (m-q-n); Form: Conjunction + Direct object marker + Noun, masculine singular construct + 1cs suffix; Translation: “And my livestock”; Notes: Adds the speaker’s possessions.
- בַּצָּמָֽא׃ (batsama) – Root: צמא (ts-m-ʾ); Form: Preposition + Noun, masculine singular absolute; Translation: “With thirst”; Notes: Indicates the cause of their distress.