וְשָׁמְע֖וּ לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ וּבָאתָ֡ אַתָּה֩ וְזִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֗יִם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ נִקְרָ֣ה עָלֵ֔ינוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה נֵֽלֲכָה־נָּ֞א דֶּ֣רֶךְ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
And they will listen to your voice, and you, along with the elders of Yisraʾel, will go to the king of Mitsrayim, and you will say to him, ‘YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. And now, let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to YHWH, our God.’
Morphology
- וְשָׁמְע֖וּ (ve-shamʿu) – Root: שׁמע (sh-m-ʿ); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they will listen”; Notes: Expresses assurance of the elders’ obedience to Moses’ instructions.
- לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ (le-qolekha) – Root: קול (q-l); Form: Preposition + noun, ms construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “to your voice”; Notes: Refers to Moses’ spoken message.
- וּבָאתָ֡ (u-vata) – Root: בוא (b-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “and you will come”; Notes: Marks the action of approaching Pharaoh.
- אַתָּה֩ (ʾatta) – Root: N/A; Form: Pronoun, 2ms; Translation: “you”; Notes: Emphasizes Moses’ personal role.
- וְזִקְנֵ֨י (ve-ziqnei) – Root: זקן (z-q-n); Form: Conjunction + noun, mp construct; Translation: “and the elders of”; Notes: Refers to the leaders of Israel.
- יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל (Yisraʾel) – Root: שר (ś-r) + אל (ʾ-l); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yisraʾel”; Notes: The people of Israel.
- אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ (ʾel-melekh) – Root: מלך (m-l-k); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “to the king”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh.
- מִצְרַ֗יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: מצר (m-ṣ-r); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Mitsrayim”; Notes: The land of Egypt.
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם (vaʾamartem) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2mp with vav consecutive; Translation: “and you will say”; Notes: Introduces the message to Pharaoh.
- אֵלָיו֙ (ʾelav) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh.
- יְהוָ֞ה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The covenantal name of God.
- אֱלֹהֵ֤י (ʾelohei) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “God of”; Notes: Describes God as belonging to the Hebrews.
- הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙ (ha-ʿIvriyyim) – Root: עבר (ʿ-v-r); Form: Definite article + noun, mp; Translation: “the Hebrews”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite ethnicity.
- נִקְרָ֣ה (niqra) – Root: קרה (q-r-h); Form: Verb, Niphal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “has met”; Notes: Indicates divine intervention.
- עָלֵ֔ינוּ (ʿaleinu) – Root: על (ʿ-l); Form: Preposition + 1cp suffix; Translation: “with us”; Notes: Specifies the encounter with the Israelites.
- וְעַתָּ֗ה (ve-ʿatta) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction + adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces the request.
- נֵֽלֲכָה־נָּ֞א (nelekha-na) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Verb, Qal, Cohortative, 1cp with emphatic particle; Translation: “let us go”; Notes: Expresses the intent of the journey.
- דֶּ֣רֶךְ (derekh) – Root: דרך (d-r-k); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “a way”; Notes: Refers to the path they intend to take.
- שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת (sheloshet) – Root: שלש (sh-l-sh); Form: Noun, mp construct; Translation: “three”; Notes: Refers to the number of days for the journey.
- יָמִים֙ (yamim) – Root: יום (y-m); Form: Noun, mp; Translation: “days”; Notes: Completes the phrase “three days.”
- בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר (ba-midbar) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “in the wilderness”; Notes: Refers to the destination for worship.
- וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה (ve-nizbekhah) – Root: זבח (z-b-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Cohortative, 1cp with conjunction; Translation: “and we shall sacrifice”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of the journey.
- לַֽיהוָ֥ה (la-YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to YHWH”; Notes: Directs the act of sacrifice to God.
- אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (eloheinu) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Noun, mp construct + 1cp suffix; Translation: “our God”; Notes: Confirms YHWH as the God of the Hebrews.