ויאמר אברהם אל האלהים לו ישמעאל יחיה לפניך׃
Gen 17:18 [Samaritan]
ויאמר אברהם אל האלהים לוי ישמעאל יחיה לפניך׃
Gen 17:18 [Masoretic]
וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִים לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃
Gen 17:18 [Targum Onkelos]
וַאֲמַר אַבְרָהָם קֳדָם יְיָ לְוֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִתְקַיַם קָדָמָךְ׃
Gen 17:18 [Peshitta]
ܘܐܡܼܪ ܐܒܪܗܡ ܠܐܠܗܐ܂ ܐܫܬܘܦ ܕܝܢ ܐܝܫܡܥܝܠ ܢܚܼܐ ܩܕܡܝܟ܂
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃
And Avraham said to God, “If only Yishma‘el might live before You.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces Avraham’s speech to Elohim.
- אַבְרָהָ֖ם (Avraham) – Root: אברהם (Avraham); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Avraham”; Notes: Refers to the patriarch Avraham.
- אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים (el-haElohim) – Root: אל (el) + אלהים (Elohim); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural; Translation: “to Elohim”; Notes: Marks the recipient of Avraham’s address.
- ל֥וּ (lu) – Root: לוּ (lu); Form: Particle of supposition; Translation: “If only”; Notes: Expresses Avraham’s wish.
- יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל (Yishma’el) – Root: ישמעאל (Yishma’el); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yishma’el”; Notes: Refers to Avraham’s son by Hagar.
- יִחְיֶ֥ה (yichyeh) – Root: חיה (chayah); Form: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “might live”; Notes: Indicates Avraham’s desire for Yishma’el to thrive.
- לְפָנֶֽיךָ (lefaneikha) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “before You”; Notes: Indicates presence or favor before Elohim.