Genesis 32:17 (Genesis 32:16)

וַיִּתֵּן֙ בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֔יו עֵ֥דֶר עֵ֖דֶר לְבַדֹּ֑ו וַ֤יֹּאמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ עִבְר֣וּ לְפָנַ֔י וְרֶ֣וַח תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ בֵּ֥ין עֵ֖דֶר וּבֵ֥ין עֵֽדֶר׃

And he placed them in the hand of his servants, each herd by itself, and he said to his servants, “Pass on before me, and put space between herd and herd.”

Morphology

1. וַיִּתֵּן֙ (vayitten) – Root: נתן (natan); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he placed”; Notes: Indicates a past action in narrative sequence.
2. בְּיַד־ (be-yad) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Preposition with noun, feminine singular construct; Translation: “in the hand of”; Notes: A phrase indicating possession or control.
3. עֲבָדָ֔יו (ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servants”; Notes: Indicates those under his service.
4. עֵ֥דֶר (ʿeder) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “herd”; Notes: Refers to a group of livestock.
5. עֵ֖דֶר (ʿeder) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “herd”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
6. לְבַדֹּ֑ו (levaddo) – Root: בדד (badad); Form: Adverb with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “by itself”; Notes: Emphasizes separation.
7. וַ֤יֹּאמֶר (vayomer) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
8. אֶל־ (el) – Root: אל (ʾel); Form: Preposition; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward the servants.
9. עֲבָדָיו֙ (ʿavadav) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his servants”; Notes: Repeated for clarity.
10. עִבְר֣וּ (ʿivru) – Root: עבר (ʿavar); Form: Qal imperative 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “Pass on”; Notes: A direct command.
11. לְפָנַ֔י (lefanai) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “before me”; Notes: Indicates position.
12. וְרֶ֣וַח (ve-revaḥ) – Root: רוח (ruaḥ); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “space”; Notes: Refers to distance between herds.
13. תָּשִׂ֔ימוּ (tasimu) – Root: שים (sim); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall put”; Notes: Another command.
14. בֵּ֥ין (bein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Preposition; Translation: “between”; Notes: Indicates separation.
15. עֵ֖דֶר (ʿeder) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “herd”; Notes: Specifies one herd.
16. וּבֵ֥ין (u-vein) – Root: בין (bein); Form: Conjunction with preposition; Translation: “and between”; Notes: Used for contrast.
17. עֵֽדֶר (ʿeder) – Root: עדר (ʿeder); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “herd”; Notes: Final repetition for emphasis.