וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה לֹ֤א נָכֹון֙ לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות כֵּ֔ן כִּ֚י תֹּועֲבַ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם נִזְבַּ֖ח לַיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הֵ֣ן נִזְבַּ֞ח אֶת־תֹּועֲבַ֥ת מִצְרַ֛יִם לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃
And Moshe said, “It is not right to do so, for we will sacrifice the abomination of Mitsrayim to YHWH our God. Behold, will we sacrifice the abomination of Mitsrayim before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyoʾmer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Refers to Moshe addressing Parʿo.
- מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moshe) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the prophet and leader of Bnei Yisra’el.
- לֹ֤א (lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Particle of negation; Translation: “Not”; Notes: Used to deny the possibility of an action.
- נָכֹון֙ (nakhon) – Root: כון (k-w-n); Form: Verb, Niphal, Participle, ms; Translation: “Right” or “proper”; Notes: Indicates suitability or correctness.
- לַעֲשֹׂ֣ות (laʿasot) – Root: עשה (ʿ-s-h); Form: Verb, Qal, Infinitive Construct; Translation: “To do”; Notes: Refers to the action under discussion.
- כֵּ֔ן (ken) – Root: N/A; Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus” or “so”; Notes: Specifies the manner of the action.
- כִּ֚י (ki) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction; Translation: “For” or “because”; Notes: Introduces an explanation.
- תֹּועֲבַ֣ת (toʿavat) – Root: תעב (t-ʿ-b); Form: Noun, fs construct; Translation: “Abomination of”; Notes: Refers to something detestable.
- מִצְרַ֔יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Refers to the nation.
- נִזְבַּ֖ח (nizbaḥ) – Root: זבח (z-v-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cp; Translation: “We will sacrifice”; Notes: Indicates future sacrificial action.
- לַיהוָ֣ה (la-YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To YHWH”; Notes: Refers to the God of Israel.
- אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (Eloheinu) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, mp with 1cp suffix; Translation: “Our God”; Notes: Indicates possession and relationship.
- הֵ֣ן (hen) – Root: N/A; Form: Particle; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to the following statement.
- נִזְבַּ֞ח (nizbaḥ) – Root: זבח (z-v-ḥ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 1cp; Translation: “We will sacrifice”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
- אֶת־תֹּועֲבַ֥ת (et-toʿavat) – Root: תעב (t-ʿ-b); Form: Direct object marker + noun, fs construct; Translation: “The abomination of”; Notes: Highlights the detested offering.
- מִצְרַ֛יִם (Mitsrayim) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Repeated for specificity.
- לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם (le-ʿeinehem) – Root: עין (ʿ-y-n); Form: Noun, dual with preposition and 3mp suffix; Translation: “Before their eyes”; Notes: Indicates observation.
- וְלֹ֥א (ve-lo) – Root: N/A; Form: Conjunction + particle of negation; Translation: “And will not”; Notes: Connects the clause.
- יִסְקְלֻֽנוּ׃ (yiskelunu) – Root: סקל (s-q-l); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp with 1cp suffix; Translation: “Will they not stone us?”; Notes: Reflects fear of reprisal.