וַיְהִי֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם אַתֶּ֥ם חֲטָאתֶ֖ם חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה וְעַתָּה֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה אוּלַ֥י אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד חַטַּאתְכֶֽם׃
And it came to pass on the next day that Moshe said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to YHWH; perhaps I will make atonement for your sin.”
Morphology
- וַיְהִי֙ (vayehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And it came to pass”; Notes: Indicates the beginning of a new event.
- מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת (mimmachorat) – Root: מחר (m-ḥ-r); Form: Preposition + Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “On the next day”; Notes: Specifies the timing of the event.
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Moshe speaking to the people.
- מֹשֶׁה֙ (Moshe) – Root: משה (m-sh-h); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to Moses, the leader of Yisra’el.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition; Translation: “To”; Notes: Indicates the direction of Moshe’s speech.
- הָעָ֔ם (haʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “The people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- אַתֶּ֥ם (atem) – Root: אתם (ʾ-t-m); Form: Pronoun, 2mp; Translation: “You”; Notes: Addresses the people directly.
- חֲטָאתֶ֖ם (ḥataʾtem) – Root: חטא (ḥ-ṭ-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 2mp; Translation: “You have sinned”; Notes: Declares their wrongdoing.
- חֲטָאָ֣ה (ḥataʾah) – Root: חטא (ḥ-ṭ-ʾ); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “A sin”; Notes: Indicates the nature of their action.
- גְדֹלָ֑ה (gedolah) – Root: גדל (g-d-l); Form: Adjective, feminine singular; Translation: “Great”; Notes: Describes the severity of the sin.
- וְעַתָּה֙ (veʿattah) – Root: עתה (ʿ-t-h); Form: Conjunction + Adverb; Translation: “And now”; Notes: Introduces Moshe’s intended action.
- אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה (eʿeleh) – Root: עלה (ʿ-l-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “I will go up”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s ascent to meet YHWH.
- אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition; Translation: “To”; Notes: Indicates the direction of Moshe’s ascent.
- יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the LORD.
- אוּלַ֥י (ulai) – Root: אולי (ʾ-w-l-y); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Perhaps”; Notes: Indicates uncertainty or hopefulness.
- אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה (ʾakhapperah) – Root: כפר (k-p-r); Form: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, Cohortative, 1cs; Translation: “I will make atonement”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s intention to intercede for the people.
- בְּעַ֥ד (beʿad) – Root: עד (ʿ-d); Form: Preposition; Translation: “For”; Notes: Indicates intercession on behalf of the people.
- חַטַּאתְכֶֽם׃ (ḥattaʾatkhem) – Root: חטא (ḥ-ṭ-ʾ); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + Pronoun, 2mp suffix; Translation: “Your sin”; Notes: Refers to the people’s wrongdoing.