וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה שְׁלַח֙ יָֽדְךָ֔ וֶאֱחֹ֖ז בִּזְנָבֹ֑ו וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדֹו֙ וַיַּ֣חֲזֶק בֹּ֔ו וַיְהִ֥י לְמַטֶּ֖ה בְּכַפֹּֽו׃
Then YHWH said to Moshe, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail.” So he stretched out his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (va-yomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol (consecutive imperfect), 3ms; Translation: “Then He said”; Notes: YHWH speaks to Moshe.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: יהוה (y-h-w-h); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The divine name, subject of the verb “said.”
- אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה (el-Moshe) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Moshe”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of YHWH’s speech.
- שְׁלַח֙ (shelach) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal, imperative, ms; Translation: “Stretch out”; Notes: A command to Moshe.
- יָֽדְךָ֔ (yadkha) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Noun, fs + 2ms suffix; Translation: “Your hand”; Notes: Direct object of the command.
- וֶאֱחֹ֖ז (ve-eḥoz) – Root: אחז (ʾ-ḥ-z); Form: Conjunction + Qal, imperative, ms; Translation: “And grasp”; Notes: Continuation of the command.
- בִּזְנָבֹ֑ו (bi-znavo) – Root: זנב (z-n-v); Form: Preposition + noun, ms + 3ms suffix; Translation: “By its tail”; Notes: Specifies the part to grasp.
- וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח (va-yishlach) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol, 3ms; Translation: “So he stretched out”; Notes: Describes Moshe’s response.
- יָדֹו֙ (yado) – Root: יד (y-d); Form: Noun, fs + 3ms suffix; Translation: “His hand”; Notes: The subject of Moshe’s action.
- וַיַּ֣חֲזֶק (va-yaḥazek) – Root: חזק (ḥ-z-q); Form: Conjunction + verb, Hifil, Wayyiqtol, 3ms; Translation: “And took hold”; Notes: Indicates Moshe’s grasping of the serpent.
- בֹּ֔ו (bo) – Root: ב (b); Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “Of it”; Notes: Refers to the serpent.
- וַיְהִ֥י (va-yehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Conjunction + verb, Qal, Wayyiqtol, 3ms; Translation: “And it became”; Notes: Indicates transformation.
- לְמַטֶּ֖ה (le-matteh) – Root: מטה (m-ṭ-h); Form: Preposition + noun, ms; Translation: “A staff”; Notes: Describes the new form of the serpent.
- בְּכַפֹּֽו (be-kappo) – Root: כף (k-p); Form: Preposition + noun, fs + 3ms suffix; Translation: “In his hand”; Notes: Indicates where the staff is held.