וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־יְהוָה֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמֹול֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשֹׁ֖ון אָנֹֽכִי׃
And Moshe said to YHWH, “Please, my Lord, I am not a man of words, neither from yesterday nor from the day before, nor from the time You have spoken to Your servant, for I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, wayyiqtol, 3ms (and he said); Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Narrative continuation.
- מֹשֶׁ֣ה (Moshe) – Root: מֹשֶׁה (m-sh-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the speaker.
- אֶל־יְהוָה֮ (el-YHWH) – Root: אל (ʾ-l) + יהוה (YHWH); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To YHWH”; Notes: Directs speech to YHWH.
- בִּ֣י (bi) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition with pronominal suffix, 1cs; Translation: “Please”; Notes: Expresses a plea.
- אֲדֹנָי֒ (Adonai) – Root: אדן (ʾ-d-n); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “My Lord”; Notes: Used in reverence for YHWH.
- לֹא֩ (lo) – Root: לא (l-ʾ); Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- אִ֨ישׁ (ish) – Root: איש (ʾ-ʾ-sh); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “A man”; Notes: Refers to a person.
- דְּבָרִ֜ים (devarim) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Noun, mp; Translation: “Words”; Notes: Indicates speech or communication.
- אָנֹ֗כִי (anokhi) – Root: אנכ (ʾ-n-k); Form: Pronoun, 1cs; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes the speaker.
- גַּ֤ם (gam) – Root: גם (g-m); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Also”; Notes: Adds emphasis.
- מִתְּמֹול֙ (mi-tmol) – Root: תְּמֹול (t-m-l); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “From yesterday”; Notes: Indicates a past time.
- גַּ֣ם (gam) – Root: גם (g-m); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Also”; Notes: Reiterates the point.
- מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם (mi-shilshom) – Root: שׁלש (sh-l-sh); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “From the day before”; Notes: Further emphasizes past duration.
- גַּ֛ם (gam) – Root: גם (g-m); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Also”; Notes: Adds cumulative emphasis.
- מֵאָ֥ז (me-az) – Root: אז (ʾ-z); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “From since”; Notes: Indicates a longer timeframe.
- דַּבֶּרְךָ (daberkha) – Root: דבר (d-v-r); Form: Verb, Piel, infinitive construct + 2ms suffix; Translation: “You spoke”; Notes: Refers to YHWH’s speaking.
- אֶל־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ (el-avadkha) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Preposition + noun, ms + 2ms suffix; Translation: “To Your servant”; Notes: Expresses humility.
- כִּ֧י (ki) – Root: כי (k-y); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- כְבַד־פֶּ֛ה (kevad-peh) – Root: כבד (k-v-d) + פה (p-h); Form: Adjective construct; Translation: “Heavy of mouth”; Notes: Indicates difficulty in speech.
- וּכְבַ֥ד לָשֹׁ֖ון (u-kevad lashon) – Root: כבד (k-v-d) + לשון (l-sh-n); Form: Conjunction + adjective, ms construct; Translation: “And heavy of tongue”; Notes: Describes Moshe’s difficulty in speaking clearly.
- אָנֹֽכִי (anokhi) – Root: אנכ (ʾ-n-k); Form: Pronoun, 1cs; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes Moshe’s personal identification with his limitations.