וְיֹוסֵ֖ף הוּרַ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּקְנֵהוּ פֹּוטִיפַר֩ סְרִ֨יס פַּרְעֹ֜ה שַׂ֤ר הַטַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּד֙ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֹורִדֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃
And Yosef was brought down to Mitsrayim, and Potifar, an officer of Parʿo, chief of the slaughterers, a man of Mitsrayim, bought him from the hand of the Yishmeʿeʾlim, who had brought him down there.
| # | Hebrew | Transliteration | Literal Gloss | Morph Tag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | וְיֹוסֵף | ve-Yosef | “and Yosef” | Conj וְ + Proper noun ms |
| 2 | הוּרַד | hurad | “was brought down” | Hophal perfect 3ms |
| 3 | מִצְרָיְמָה | Mitsraymah | “to Mitsrayim” | Proper noun fs + directional ה |
| 4 | וַיִּקְנֵהוּ | va-yiqnehu | “and he bought him” | Qal wayyiqtol 3ms + suff 3ms |
| 5 | פֹּוטִיפַר | Potiphar | “Potiphar” | Proper noun ms |
| 6 | סְרִיס | seris | “officer” | Noun ms construct |
| 7 | פַּרְעֹה | Parʿo | “Parʿo” | Proper noun ms |
| 8 | שַׂר | sar | “chief of” | Noun ms construct |
| 9 | הַטַּבָּחִים | ha-tabbaḥim | “the slaughterers” | Def. art. הַ + N(mp) |
| 10 | אִישׁ | ʾish | “man” | Noun ms |
| 11 | מִצְרִי | Mitsri | “Egyptian” | Gentilic adjective ms |
| 12 | מִיַּד | mi-yad | “from the hand of” | Prep מִן + N(fs) construct |
| 13 | הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים | ha-Yishmeʿeʾlim | “the Ishmaelites” | Def. art. הַ + Gentilic noun mp |
| 14 | אֲשֶׁר | ʾasher | “who” | Relative pronoun |
| 15 | הֹורִדֻהוּ | horiduhu | “they brought him down” | Hiphil perfect 3cp + suff 3ms |
| 16 | שָׁמָּה | shammah | “there” | Adverb of place |
Morphology
- וְיֹוסֵף (ve-Yosef) – Root: יסף (y-s-p); Root Type: I-Yod (weak); Form: Conjunction וְ + proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “And Yosef”; Notes: The conjunction links this narrative continuation to the previous episode involving Yosef’s brothers.
- הוּרַד (hurad) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Root Type: I-Yod (weak); Binyan: Hophal; Form: Hophal perfect 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “was brought down”; Notes: Passive causative form emphasizing that Yosef was acted upon and taken down into Mitsrayim.
- מִצְרָיְמָה (Mitsraymah) – Root: מצר (m-ṣ-r); Root Type: Strong; Form: Proper noun feminine singular + directional suffix ה locative; Translation: “to Mitsrayim”; Notes: The directional ה indicates movement toward a place.
- וַיִּקְנֵהוּ (va-yiqnehu) – Root: קנה (q-n-h); Root Type: III-He (weak); Binyan: Qal; Form: Conjunction וַ + wayyiqtol (narrative past) 3rd person masculine singular + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he bought him”; Notes: The suffix refers to Yosef as the object being purchased.
- פֹּוטִיפַר (Potiphar) – Root: N/A; Root Type: Egyptian proper name; Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Potiphar”; Notes: Egyptian official who becomes Yosef’s master.
- סְרִיס (seris) – Root: סרס (s-r-s); Root Type: Strong; Form: Noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “officer of”; Notes: Bound in construct relationship with Parʿo, denoting official service under the ruler.
- פַּרְעֹה (Parʿo) – Root: N/A; Root Type: Egyptian royal title; Form: Proper noun masculine singular; Translation: “Parʿo”; Notes: Standard Hebrew designation for the king of Mitsrayim.
- שַׂר (sar) – Root: שרר (s-r-r); Root Type: Geminate; Form: Noun masculine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “chief of”; Notes: Introduces Potiphar’s administrative role over the slaughterers or executioners.
- הַטַּבָּחִים (ha-tabbaḥim) – Root: טבח (ṭ-b-ḥ); Root Type: Strong; Form: Definite article הַ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “the slaughterers”; Notes: Often understood as royal guards or executioners attached to the court.
- אִישׁ (ʾish) – Root: אנש (ʾ-n-sh); Root Type: Weak/irregular noun formation; Form: Noun masculine singular; Translation: “man”; Notes: Identifies Potiphar ethnically and socially as an Egyptian man.
- מִצְרִי (Mitsri) – Root: מצר (m-ṣ-r); Root Type: Strong; Form: Gentilic adjective masculine singular; Translation: “Egyptian”; Notes: Gentilic adjective derived from Mitsrayim.
- מִיַּד (mi-yad) – Root: יד (y-d); Root Type: I-Yod (weak); Form: Preposition מִן + noun feminine singular construct (state: construct); Translation: “from the hand of”; Notes: Idiomatic expression indicating transfer of possession or control.
- הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים (ha-Yishmeʿeʾlim) – Root: שמע (sh-m-ʿ); Root Type: III-Guttural; Form: Definite article הַ + gentilic noun masculine plural; Translation: “the Ishmaelites”; Notes: Descendants or associated traders linked to Yishmaʿeʾl.
- אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher) – Root: N/A; Root Type: Indeclinable particle; Form: Relative pronoun; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause describing the Ishmaelites’ prior action.
- הֹורִדֻהוּ (horiduhu) – Root: ירד (y-r-d); Root Type: I-Yod (weak); Binyan: Hiphil; Form: Hiphil perfect 3rd person common plural + suffix 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “they brought him down”; Notes: Active causative verb showing the Ishmaelites transporting Yosef into Mitsrayim.
- שָׁמָּה (shammah) – Root: N/A; Root Type: Indeclinable adverb; Form: Adverb of place with directional nuance; Translation: “there”; Notes: Refers specifically to Mitsrayim as the destination.