וַיָּ֧שָׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֨תָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי׃
And Moshe returned to YHWH and said, “My Lord, why have You brought harm upon this people? Why then did You send me?
Morphology
- וַיָּ֧שָׁב (vayyashov) – Root: שׁוב (sh-v-b); Form: Qal imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he returned”; Notes: Indicates Moshe’s action of returning to address YHWH.
- מֹשֶׁ֛ה (Moshe) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the prophet addressing YHWH.
- אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה (el-YHWH) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition with proper noun; Translation: “To YHWH”; Notes: Specifies Moshe’s direct address to the Divine.
- וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (vayyoʾmar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Indicates the beginning of Moshe’s speech.
- אֲדֹנָ֗י (Adonai) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Adonai”; Notes: A respectful title for YHWH, used in direct address.
- לָמָ֤ה (lamah) – Root: מה (m-h); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Expresses Moshe’s questioning of divine actions.
- הֲרֵעֹ֨תָה (hareʿota) – Root: רעע (r-ʿ-ʿ); Form: Hifil perfect, 2ms; Translation: “Have You brought harm”; Notes: Causative form indicating YHWH’s action.
- לָעָ֣ם (laʿam) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with noun; Translation: “To the people”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites suffering in Egypt.
- הַזֶּ֔ה (hazzeh) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, ms; Translation: “This”; Notes: Refers to the people (Israelites).
- לָ֥מָּה (lamah) – Root: מה (m-h); Form: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “Why”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis in Moshe’s lament.
- זֶּ֖ה (zeh) – Root: זה (z-h); Form: Demonstrative pronoun, ms; Translation: “This”; Notes: Adds emphasis to Moshe’s question.
- שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי (shelachtani) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Qal perfect, 2ms with 1cs suffix; Translation: “Did You send me”; Notes: Refers to Moshe’s divine commission.