וַיַּ֥עַן יַעֲקֹ֖ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְלָבָ֑ן כִּ֣י יָרֵ֔אתִי כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־תִּגְזֹ֥ל אֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֖יךָ מֵעִמִּֽי׃
And Yaʿaqov answered and said to Lavan, “Because I was afraid, for I said, ‘Perhaps you would take your daughters from me by force.’
Morphology
- וַיַּ֥עַן (vayyaʿan) – Root: ענה (ʿanah); Form: Wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “And he answered”; Notes: Indicates a direct response.
- יַעֲקֹ֖ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Subject of the verb.
- וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vayyomer) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Wayyiqtol (preterite) 3rd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Indicates speech.
- לְלָבָ֑ן (le-Lavan) – Root: לבן (Lavan); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “to Lavan”; Notes: Marks the addressee.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces reason.
- יָרֵ֔אתִי (yareti) – Root: ירא (yare); Form: Perfect 1st person singular, Qal; Translation: “I was afraid”; Notes: Expresses fear.
- כִּ֣י (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces an explanation.
- אָמַ֔רְתִּי (amarti) – Root: אמר (amar); Form: Perfect 1st person singular, Qal; Translation: “I said”; Notes: Expresses thought.
- פֶּן־ (pen) – Root: פן (pen); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Lest”; Notes: Introduces potential consequence.
- תִּגְזֹ֥ל (tigzol) – Root: גזל (gazal); Form: Imperfect 2nd person masculine singular, Qal; Translation: “You take by force”; Notes: Expresses future or potential action.
- אֶת־בְּנֹותֶ֖יךָ (et-benotekha) – Root: בת (bat); Form: Noun, feminine plural construct with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your daughters”; Notes: Direct object of the verb.
- מֵעִמִּֽי׃ (me-ʿimmi) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “from me”; Notes: Indicates separation.