וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ֙ הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֤אנוּ אֶל־אָחִ֨יךָ֙ אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו וְגַם֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאֹ֥ות אִ֖ישׁ עִמֹּֽו׃
And the messengers returned to Yaʿaqov, saying, “We came to your brother, to ʿEsav, and moreover, he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”
Morphology
- וַיָּשֻׁ֨בוּ֙ (vayyāshuvu) – Root: שוב (shuv); Form: Qal wayyiqtol (sequential imperfect) 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they returned”; Notes: Refers to the messengers returning.
- הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים (ham-malʾākhīm) – Root: מלאך (malʾākh); Form: Noun, masculine plural with definite article; Translation: “the messengers”; Notes: Refers to those whom Yaʿaqov sent.
- אֶֽל־יַעֲקֹ֖ב (ʾel-Yaʿaqov) – Root: יעקב (Yaʿaqov); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to Yaʿaqov”; Notes: Identifies the recipient of the report.
- לֵאמֹ֑ר (lēʾmōr) – Root: אמר (ʾāmar); Form: Infinitive construct; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- בָּ֤אנוּ (bānū) – Root: בוא (bōʾ); Form: Qal perfect 1st person plural; Translation: “We came”; Notes: Reports the messengers’ arrival.
- אֶל־אָחִ֨יךָ֙ (ʾel-ʾāḥīkha) – Root: אח (ʾāḥ); Form: Preposition + noun, masculine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to your brother”; Notes: Identifies ʿEsav as Yaʿaqov’s brother.
- אֶל־עֵשָׂ֔ו (ʾel-ʿEsav) – Root: עשו (ʿEsav); Form: Preposition + proper noun; Translation: “to ʿEsav”; Notes: Specifies the person they met.
- וְגַם֙ (və-gam) – Root: גם (gam); Form: Conjunction; Translation: “and moreover”; Notes: Adds additional information.
- הֹלֵ֣ךְ (hōlēkh) – Root: הלך (halakh); Form: Qal participle masculine singular; Translation: “he is going”; Notes: Indicates an ongoing action.
- לִקְרָֽאתְךָ֔ (liqratkha) – Root: קרא (qārāʾ); Form: Preposition + noun, feminine singular construct + 2nd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “to meet you”; Notes: Describes ʿEsav’s intention.
- וְאַרְבַּע־מֵאֹ֥ות (və-ʾarbaʿ-mēʾōt) – Root: ארבע (ʾarbaʿ) + מאה (mēʾāh); Form: Conjunction + numeral, feminine singular construct + numeral, feminine plural; Translation: “and four hundred”; Notes: Describes the number of men.
- אִ֖ישׁ (ʾīsh) – Root: איש (ʾīsh); Form: Noun, masculine singular; Translation: “men”; Notes: Refers to the individuals accompanying ʿEsav.
- עִמֹּֽו׃ (ʿimmō) – Root: עם (ʿim); Form: Preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “with him”; Notes: Refers to the four hundred men accompanying ʿEsav.