וַיְצַ֤ו אֹתָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֣ה תֹאמְר֔וּן לַֽאדֹנִ֖י לְעֵשָׂ֑ו כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ עַבְדְּךָ֣ יַעֲקֹ֔ב עִם־לָבָ֣ן גַּ֔רְתִּי וָאֵחַ֖ר עַד־עָֽתָּה׃
And he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord, to ʿEsav: ‘Thus says your servant Yaʿaqov, I have sojourned with Lavan and have delayed until now.’
Morphology
- וַיְצַ֤ו (vayyətsav) – Root: צוה (tsāvāh); Form: Piel wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And he commanded”; Notes: Indicates an authoritative instruction.
- אֹתָם֙ (ʾōtām) – Root: את (ʾet); Form: Definite direct object marker + 3rd person masculine plural suffix; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the messengers.
- לֵאמֹ֔ר (lēʾmōr) – Root: אמר (ʾāmar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- כֹּ֣ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Introduces the statement.
- תֹאמְר֔וּן (tōʾmrūn) – Root: אמר (ʾāmar); Form: Qal imperfect 2nd person masculine plural; Translation: “you shall say”; Notes: Addressed to the messengers.
- לַֽאדֹנִ֖י (la-ʾadōnī) – Root: אדן (ʾādōn); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my lord”; Notes: Shows respect toward ʿEsav.
- לְעֵשָׂ֑ו (lə-ʿEsav) – Root: עשו (ʿEsav); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to ʿEsav”; Notes: Identifies the recipient.
- כֹּ֤ה (koh) – Root: כה (koh); Form: Adverb; Translation: “Thus”; Notes: Repeats introduction for emphasis.
- אָמַר֙ (ʾāmar) – Root: אמר (ʾāmar); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “says”; Notes: Reports Yaʿaqov’s words.
- עַבְדְּךָ֣ (ʿavdəkha) – Root: עבד (ʿéved); Form: Noun, masculine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “your servant”; Notes: Expresses humility.
- יַעֲקֹ֔ב (Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yaʿaqov”; Notes: The speaker of the message.
- עִם־לָבָ֣ן (ʿim-Lāvān) – Root: לבן (Lāvān); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “with Lavan”; Notes: Indicates past association.
- גַּ֔רְתִּי (gārtī) – Root: גור (gūr); Form: Qal perfect 1st person singular; Translation: “I have sojourned”; Notes: Indicates a temporary stay.
- וָאֵחַ֖ר (vāʾeḥar) – Root: אחר (ʾāḥar); Form: Qal imperfect 1st person singular with vav-consecutive; Translation: “and I have delayed”; Notes: Indicates an extended stay.
- עַד־עָֽתָּה׃ (ʿad-ʿattāh) – Root: עתה (ʿattāh); Form: Preposition + adverb; Translation: “until now”; Notes: Marks the duration of his absence.