וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ שֹׁ֣ור וַחֲמֹ֔ור צֹ֖אן וְעֶ֣בֶד וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ לְהַגִּ֣יד לַֽאדֹנִ֔י לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
And I have oxen and donkeys, flocks, and a servant and a maidservant, and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.”
Morphology
- וַֽיְהִי־לִי֙ (vayəhī-lī) – Root: היה (hāyāh); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine singular + prepositional suffix; Translation: “And it was to me” / “And I have”; Notes: Indicates possession.
- שֹׁ֣ור (shōr) – Root: שור (shōr); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “ox”; Notes: Refers to livestock.
- וַחֲמֹ֔ור (vaḥămōr) – Root: חמור (ḥămōr); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and a donkey”; Notes: Another type of livestock.
- צֹ֖אן (ṣōʾn) – Root: צאן (ṣōʾn); Form: Noun, common singular (collective); Translation: “flocks”; Notes: Refers to sheep and goats.
- וְעֶ֣בֶד (vəʿéved) – Root: עבד (ʿéved); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “and a servant”; Notes: Refers to a male servant.
- וְשִׁפְחָ֑ה (vəshifḥāh) – Root: שפחה (shifḥāh); Form: Noun, feminine singular; Translation: “and a maidservant”; Notes: Refers to a female servant.
- וָֽאֶשְׁלְחָה֙ (vāʾeshləḥāh) – Root: שלח (shālaḥ); Form: Qal cohortative 1st person singular; Translation: “And I have sent”; Notes: Expresses intention.
- לְהַגִּ֣יד (ləhaggīd) – Root: נגד (nāgad); Form: Hifil infinitive construct; Translation: “to tell”; Notes: Expresses the purpose of sending.
- לַֽאדֹנִ֔י (la-ʾadōnī) – Root: אדן (ʾādōn); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct + 1st person singular suffix; Translation: “to my lord”; Notes: Expresses deference to ʿEsav.
- לִמְצֹא־חֵ֖ן (limṣō-ḥēn) – Root: מצא (māṣāʾ) + חן (ḥēn); Form: Infinitive construct + noun, masculine singular; Translation: “to find favor”; Notes: Expresses hope for goodwill.
- בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (bəʿēneikha) – Root: עין (ʿayin); Form: Noun, feminine dual construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “in your eyes”; Notes: An idiom for gaining favor.