וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה הָיָ֥ה רֹעֶ֛ה אֶת־צֹ֛אן יִתְרֹ֥ו חֹתְנֹ֖ו כֹּהֵ֣ן מִדְיָ֑ן וַיִּנְהַ֤ג אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ אַחַ֣ר הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיָּבֹ֛א אֶל־הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽבָה׃
Now Moshe was shepherding the flock of Yitro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midyan, and he led the flock behind the wilderness and came to the mountain of God, to Ḥorev.
Morphology
- וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה (ūmosheh) – Root: משה (m-sh-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “And Mosheh”; Notes: Refers to the central figure in this narrative.
- הָיָ֥ה (hayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “was”; Notes: Describes Mosheh’s ongoing activity.
- רֹעֶ֛ה (roʿeh) – Root: רעה (r-ʿ-h); Form: Participle, ms; Translation: “shepherding”; Notes: Indicates the action of tending flocks.
- אֶת־צֹ֛אן (ʾeṯ-ṣōʾn) – Root: צאן (ṣ-ʾ-n); Form: Direct object marker + noun, ms; Translation: “the flock of”; Notes: Specifies the object being shepherded.
- יִתְרֹ֥ו (yitro) – Root: יתר (y-t-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yitro”; Notes: Refers to Mosheh’s father-in-law.
- חֹתְנֹ֖ו (ḥoteno) – Root: חתן (ḥ-t-n); Form: Noun, ms with 3ms suffix; Translation: “his father-in-law”; Notes: Specifies Yitro’s relationship to Mosheh.
- כֹּהֵ֣ן (kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Describes Yitro’s religious role.
- מִדְיָ֑ן (midyan) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Midyan”; Notes: Refers to the geographic region.
- וַיִּנְהַ֤ג (vayyinhag) – Root: נהג (n-h-g); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “and he led”; Notes: Describes Mosheh’s action of leading the flock.
- אֶת־הַצֹּאן֙ (ʾeṯ-haṣṣōʾn) – Root: צאן (ṣ-ʾ-n); Form: Direct object marker + noun, ms; Translation: “the flock”; Notes: Specifies the object of the action.
- אַחַ֣ר (ʾaḥar) – Root: אחר (ʾ-ḥ-r); Form: Preposition; Translation: “behind”; Notes: Indicates the direction.
- הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר (hamidbar) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “the wilderness”; Notes: Describes the geographic setting.
- וַיָּבֹ֛א (vayyavo) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “and he came”; Notes: Denotes Mosheh’s arrival.
- אֶל־הַ֥ר (ʾel-har) – Root: הר (h-r); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “to the mountain of”; Notes: Indicates the destination.
- הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (haʾĕlōhím) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, mp with definite article; Translation: “Elohim”; Notes: Refers to the divine presence associated with the mountain.
- חֹרֵֽבָה (ḥorevah) – Root: חרב (ḥ-r-b); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “to Horev”; Notes: Refers to the mountain, also known as Sinai.