וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הֵ֤ן אֲנִי֙ עֲרַ֣ל שְׂפָתַ֔יִם וְאֵ֕יךְ יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֵלַ֖י פַּרְעֹֽה׃ פ
And Moshe said before YHWH, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how will Parʿo listen to me?”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: א־מ־ר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Commonly introduces speech or dialogue.
- מֹשֶׁ֖ה (Moshe) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the speaker.
- לִפְנֵ֣י (lifnei) – Root: פ־נ־י (p-n-y); Form: Preposition + construct; Translation: “Before”; Notes: Indicates position or presence.
- יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the divine name.
- הֵ֤ן (hen) – Root: N/A; Form: Particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to draw attention to the speaker’s statement.
- אֲנִי֙ (ani) – Root: N/A; Form: Pronoun, 1cs; Translation: “I”; Notes: Emphasizes the speaker, Moshe.
- עֲרַ֣ל (ʿaral) – Root: ע־ר־ל (ʿ-r-l); Form: Adjective, ms; Translation: “Uncircumcised”; Notes: Used metaphorically to indicate lack of eloquence or readiness.
- שְׂפָתַ֔יִם (sefatayim) – Root: ש־פ־ה (sh-p-h); Form: Noun, dual, absolute; Translation: “Lips”; Notes: Dual form signifies two lips.
- וְאֵ֕יךְ (veʾeikh) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction + interrogative adverb; Translation: “And how”; Notes: Introduces a rhetorical question.
- יִשְׁמַ֥ע (yishmaʿ) – Root: ש־מ־ע (sh-m-ʿ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “Will listen”; Notes: Refers to heeding or obeying.
- אֵלַ֖י (elai) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + 1cs suffix; Translation: “To me”; Notes: Refers to Moshe as the object of listening.
- פַּרְעֹֽה (Parʿo) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to the Egyptian king.