וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵם֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים תְּמֹ֤ול שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־נִרְפִּ֣ים הֵ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֗ן הֵ֤ם צֹֽעֲקִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
And the quota of bricks which they were making before, you shall place upon them; you shall not diminish it, because they are idle. Therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
Morphology
- וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת (ve’et-matkonet) – Root: תכן (t-k-n); Form: Noun, singular construct; Translation: “The quota of”; Notes: Refers to the required measure or quantity.
- הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים (hallevenim) – Root: לבּן (l-b-n); Form: Noun, plural definite; Translation: “The bricks”; Notes: The product of their labor.
- אֲשֶׁ֣ר (asher) – Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “Which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause.
- הֵם֩ (hem) – Form: Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “They”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- עֹשִׂ֨ים (osim) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Qal participle, mp; Translation: “Were making”; Notes: Describes continuous action in the past.
- תְּמֹ֤ול (temol) – Root: תמול (t-m-l); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Yesterday”; Notes: Indicates a previous time.
- שִׁלְשֹׁ֙ם (shilshom) – Root: שׁלשׁ (sh-l-sh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “The day before yesterday”; Notes: Refers to an earlier habitual action.
- תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ (tasimu) – Root: שׂים (s-y-m); Form: Qal imperfect, 2mp; Translation: “You shall place”; Notes: A command to maintain the quota.
- עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (alehem) – Form: Preposition with 3mp suffix; Translation: “Upon them”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- לֹ֥א (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Negates the following action.
- תִגְרְע֖וּ (tigreʿu) – Root: גרע (g-r-ʿ); Form: Qal imperfect, 2mp; Translation: “You shall diminish”; Notes: Indicates a prohibited reduction.
- מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (mimmenu) – Form: Preposition with 3ms suffix; Translation: “From it”; Notes: Refers to the quota.
- כִּֽי־נִרְפִּ֣ים (ki-nirpim) – Root: רפה (r-p-h); Form: Nifal participle, mp; Translation: “They are idle”; Notes: Justifies Pharaoh’s command.
- הֵ֔ם (hem) – Form: Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “They”; Notes: Subject of the participle.
- עַל־כֵּ֗ן (ʿal-ken) – Form: Adverbial phrase; Translation: “Therefore”; Notes: Indicates the reason for their cry.
- הֵ֤ם (hem) – Form: Pronoun, 3mp; Translation: “They”; Notes: Refers to the Israelites.
- צֹֽעֲקִים֙ (tsoʿaqim) – Root: צעק (ts-ʿ-q); Form: Qal participle, mp; Translation: “They cry out”; Notes: Describes their plea.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (leʾemor) – Form: Infinitive construct with preposition; Translation: “Saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- נֵלְכָ֖ה (nelecha) – Root: הלך (h-l-k); Form: Qal cohortative, 1cp; Translation: “Let us go”; Notes: Expresses their desire.
- נִזְבְּחָ֥ה (nizbichah) – Root: זבח (z-v-ḥ); Form: Qal cohortative, 1cp; Translation: “And sacrifice”; Notes: Indicates their intent to offer sacrifices.
- לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ (leʾeloheinu) – Root: אלֹה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, plural with 1cp suffix; Translation: “To our God”; Notes: Specifies the object of worship.