וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃
And YHWH said to Moshe, “Go to Parʿo and speak to him, ‘Thus says YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, “Send My people, that they may serve Me.
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And He said”; Notes: Indicates direct speech from YHWH to Moshe.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the covenant name of God.
- אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה (el-Moshe) – Root: משה (m-sh-h); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Moshe”; Notes: Refers to the prophet Moses.
- בֹּ֖א (bo) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperative, 2ms; Translation: “Go”; Notes: A command directing Moshe to approach Parʿo.
- אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה (el-Parʿo) – Root: N/A; Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “To Parʿo”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt.
- וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ (vedibbarta) – Root: דבר (d-b-r); Form: Verb, Piel, Perfect, 2ms with vav consecutive; Translation: “And you shall speak”; Notes: Emphasizes the act of conveying a message.
- אֵלָ֗יו (elav) – Root: אל (ʾ-l); Form: Preposition + 3ms suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Refers to Parʿo.
- כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר (koh-amar) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Adverb + Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “Thus says”; Notes: Introduces a divine declaration.
- יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The name of God emphasizing His authority.
- אֱלֹהֵ֣י (Elohei) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, construct, mp; Translation: “The God of”; Notes: Refers to divine authority.
- הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים (ha-ʿIvrim) – Root: עבר (ʿ-v-r); Form: Noun, mp with definite article; Translation: “The Hebrews”; Notes: Refers to the Israelite people.
- שַׁלַּ֥ח (shallaḥ) – Root: שלח (sh-l-ḥ); Form: Verb, Piel, Imperative, 2ms; Translation: “Send”; Notes: A command to release the Israelites.
- אֶת־עַמִּ֖י (et-ʿammi) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Noun, ms with direct object marker and 1cs suffix; Translation: “My people”; Notes: Refers to the nation of Israel.
- וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי (ve-yaʿavduni) – Root: עבד (ʿ-v-d); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3mp with vav consecutive + 1cs suffix; Translation: “And they may serve Me”; Notes: Indicates the purpose of their release.