וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ רָאֹ֣ו רָאִינוּ֮ כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה יְהוָ֣ה עִמָּךְ֒ וַנֹּ֗אמֶר תְּהִ֨י נָ֥א אָלָ֛ה בֵּינֹותֵ֖ינוּ בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה בְרִ֖ית עִמָּֽךְ׃
And they said, “We have certainly seen that YHWH is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us—even between us and you—and let us make a covenant with you.’
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ (vayyomru) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal, imperfect, 3mp with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Introduces the speech of Avimelekh and his companions.
- רָאֹ֣ו (raʾo) – Root: ראה (r-ʾ-h); Form: Qal, infinitive absolute; Translation: “Surely”; Notes: The infinitive absolute intensifies the following verb.
- רָאִינוּ֮ (raʾinu) – Root: ראה (r-ʾ-h); Form: Qal, perfect, 1cp; Translation: “We have seen”; Notes: Expresses their observation or realization.
- כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה (ki-hayah) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal, perfect, 3ms; Translation: “That has been”; Notes: Introduces the reason; “that YHWH has been…”
- יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: N/A; Form: Proper noun; Translation: “YHWH”; Notes: The Tetragrammaton, the covenant name of God.
- עִמָּךְ֒ (ʿimmakh) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “With you”; Notes: Indicates divine presence with Yitsḥaq.
- וַנֹּ֗אמֶר (vannomer) – Root: אמר (ʾ-m-r); Form: Qal, imperfect, 1cp with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And we said”; Notes: Continues the narrative, introducing their decision.
- תְּהִ֨י (tehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal, jussive, 3fs; Translation: “Let there be”; Notes: Expresses a wish or request.
- נָ֥א (na) – Form: Particle of entreaty; Translation: “Now”; Notes: Adds politeness or urgency.
- אָלָ֛ה (alah) – Root: אלה (ʾ-l-h); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “An oath”; Notes: Refers to a solemn promise or covenant.
- בֵּינֹותֵ֖ינוּ (beinoteinu) – Root: בין (b-y-n); Form: Preposition “between” with 1cp suffix and plural ending; Translation: “Between us all”; Notes: Emphasizes mutual agreement among the group.
- בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ (beineinu) – Root: בין (b-y-n); Form: Preposition “between” with 1cp suffix; Translation: “Between us”; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
- וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ (u-veinekha) – Root: בין (b-y-n); Form: Conjunction וְ + preposition “between” with 2ms suffix; Translation: “And between you”; Notes: Includes Yitsḥaq in the agreement.
- וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה (ve-nikhrətah) – Root: כרת (k-r-t); Form: Nifal, imperfect, cohortative 1cp with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And let us make”; Notes: The verb “to cut” a covenant; cohortative expresses intention.
- בְרִ֖ית (berit) – Root: ברית (b-r-y-t); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “A covenant”; Notes: A formal agreement or treaty.
- עִמָּֽךְ׃ (ʿimmakh) – Root: עם (ʿ-m); Form: Preposition with 2ms suffix; Translation: “With you”; Notes: Emphasizes Yitsḥaq’s inclusion.
Morphological Analysis
1. וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ (vayyōmrū) – Root: אמר, Form: Wayyiqtol (3mp, sequential past tense), Translation: “and they said”
2. רָאֹ֣ו (rā’ō) – Root: ראה, Form: Infinitive absolute, Translation: “surely seen”
3. רָאִינוּ֮ (rāʾīnū) – Root: ראה, Form: Qal perfect (1cp), Translation: “we have seen”
4. כִּֽי־ (kī-) – Root: כי, Form: Conjunction, Translation: “that”
5. הָיָ֣ה (hāyāh) – Root: היה, Form: Qal perfect (3ms), Translation: “has been”
6. יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) – Root: יהוה, Form: Proper noun, Translation: “the LORD”
7. עִמָּךְ֒ (ʿimmāḵ) – Root: עם, Form: Preposition with pronominal suffix (2ms), Translation: “with you”
8. וַנֹּ֗אמֶר (vannōmer) – Root: אמר, Form: Wayyiqtol (1cp, sequential past tense), Translation: “so we said”
9. תְּהִ֨י (təhī) – Root: היה, Form: Qal imperfect/jussive (3fs), Translation: “let there be”
10. נָ֥א (nā) – Root: נא, Form: Particle of entreaty, Translation: “please” or “now”
11. אָלָ֛ה (ʾālāh) – Root: אלה, Form: Noun, Translation: “an oath”
12. בֵּינֹותֵ֖ינוּ (bênōṯênū) – Root: בין, Form: Noun (construct plural) with pronominal suffix (1cp), Translation: “between us”
13. בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ (bênênū) – Root: בין, Form: Noun (construct plural) with pronominal suffix (1cp), Translation: “between us”
14. וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ (ūvēneḵā) – Root: בין, Form: Noun (construct singular) with pronominal suffix (2ms), Translation: “and you”
15. וְנִכְרְתָ֥ה (wənikrəṯāh) – Root: כרת, Form: Nifal perfect (3fs), Translation: “and let us make”
16. בְרִ֖ית (bəriṯ) – Root: ברית, Form: Noun, Translation: “a covenant”
17. עִמָּֽךְ (ʿimmāḵ) – Root: עם, Form: Preposition with pronominal suffix (2ms), Translation: “with you”