וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם גַּ֗ם הִנֵּ֛ה עַבְדְּךָ֥ יַעֲקֹ֖ב אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ כִּֽי־אָמַ֞ר אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה פָנָ֗יו בַּמִּנְחָה֙ הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנָ֔י וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ אֶרְאֶ֣ה פָנָ֔יו אוּלַ֖י יִשָּׂ֥א פָנָֽי׃
And you shall say, ‘Behold, your servant Yaʿaqov is also behind us.’” For he said, “I will appease his face with the gift that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.”
Morphology
- וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (va-ʾamartem) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “And you shall say”; Notes: A command given to multiple people.
- גַּ֗ם (gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Adverb; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds emphasis.
- הִנֵּ֛ה (hinneh) – Root: הנה (hinneh); Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Draws attention to an event.
- עַבְדְּךָ֥ (ʿavdekha) – Root: עבד (ʿeved); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Expresses submission.
- יַעֲקֹ֖ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun, masculine singular; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Personal name.
- אַחֲרֵ֑ינוּ (aḥareinu) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition with 1st person plural suffix; Translation: “behind us”; Notes: Indicates Yaʿaqov’s position relative to the speakers.
- כִּֽי־ (ki) – Root: כי (ki); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces an explanation.
- אָמַ֞ר (ʾamar) – Root: אמר (ʾamar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Indicates past speech.
- אֲכַפְּרָ֣ה (ʾakhapperah) – Root: כפר (kapar); Form: Piel imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will appease”; Notes: Piel form intensifies the meaning of atonement or reconciliation.
- פָנָ֗יו (panav) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his face”; Notes: A metaphor for seeking favor.
- בַּמִּנְחָה֙ (ba-minḥah) – Root: מנחה (minḥah); Form: Noun, feminine singular with definite article; Translation: “with the gift”; Notes: The means of appeasement.
- הַהֹלֶ֣כֶת (ha-holekhet) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle, feminine singular; Translation: “that goes”; Notes: Describes ongoing movement.
- לְפָנָ֔י (lefanai) – Root: פנה (panah); Form: Preposition with noun, masculine plural construct with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “before me”; Notes: Indicates direction.
- וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן֙ (ve-aḥarei-khen) – Root: אחר (aḥar); Form: Preposition with adverb; Translation: “and afterward”; Notes: Specifies sequence of events.
- אֶרְאֶ֣ה (erʾeh) – Root: ראה (raʾah); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I will see”; Notes: Expresses a future event.
- פָנָ֔יו (panav) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his face”; Notes: Indicates an encounter.
- אוּלַ֖י (ʾulai) – Root: —; Form: Adverb; Translation: “perhaps”; Notes: Expresses uncertainty.
- יִשָּׂ֥א (yissa) – Root: נשא (nasaʾ); Form: Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “he will accept”; Notes: Expresses possibility.
- פָנָֽי (panai) – Root: פנים (panim); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “my face”; Notes: A phrase indicating favor or acceptance.