וַיַּ֤עַן מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר וְהֵן֙ לֹֽא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לִ֔י וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּקֹלִ֑י כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ לֹֽא־נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יךָ יְהוָֽה׃
Moshe answered and said, “But they will not believe me, nor will they listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘YHWH has not appeared to you.’”
Morphology
- וַיַּ֤עַן (va-yaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿ-n-h); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect), 3ms; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Indicates Moses’ response.
- מֹשֶׁה֙ (Mosheh) – Root: משׁה (m-sh-h); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Moses”; Notes: Subject of the clause.
- וַיֹּ֔אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect), 3ms; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Conveys Moses’ speech.
- וְהֵן֙ (ve-hen) – Root: הן (h-n); Form: Conjunction + interjection; Translation: “But behold”; Notes: Marks Moses’ concern or objection.
- לֹֽא־יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ (lo-yaʾaminu) – Root: אמן (ʾ-m-n); Form: Negative particle + verb, Hifil, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “they will not believe”; Notes: Expresses doubt about the Israelites’ reaction.
- לִ֔י (li) – Root: לי (l-y); Form: Preposition with 1cs suffix; Translation: “me”; Notes: Indicates the object of belief.
- וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ (ve-lo yishmeʿu) – Root: שׁמע (sh-m-ʿ); Form: Conjunction + negative particle + verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “nor will they listen”; Notes: Parallel structure to the previous clause.
- בְּקֹלִ֑י (be-qoli) – Root: קול (q-w-l); Form: Preposition + noun, ms, with 1cs suffix; Translation: “to my voice”; Notes: Specifies what they would not heed.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the reason for Moses’ doubt.
- יֹֽאמְר֔וּ (yoʾmeru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “they will say”; Notes: Predicts the response of the Israelites.
- לֹֽא־נִרְאָ֥ה (lo-nirʾah) – Root: ראה (r-ʾ-h); Form: Negative particle + verb, Nifal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “has not appeared”; Notes: Passive construction indicating a denial of divine manifestation.
- אֵלֶ֖יךָ (eleikha) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to the supposed recipient of the divine appearance.
- יְהוָֽה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (Y-H-W-H); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.