וַתְּחִלֶּ֜ינָה שֶׁ֣בַע שְׁנֵ֤י הָרָעָב֙ לָבֹ֔וא כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר אָמַ֣ר יֹוסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֤י רָעָב֙ בְּכָל־הָ֣אֲרָצֹ֔ות וּבְכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם הָ֥יָה לָֽחֶם׃
And the seven years of famine began to come, as Yosef had said, and there was famine in all the lands, but in the land of Mitsrayim there was bread.
Morphology
- וַתְּחִלֶּ֜ינָה (vateḥilenah) – Root: חָלַל (ḥ-l-l); Form: Verb, Hiphil, Consecutive Imperfect, 3fp; Translation: “And they began”; Notes: Refers to the start of the famine years.
- שֶׁ֣בַע (sheva) – Root: שֶׁבַע (sheva); Form: Number, fs; Translation: “seven”; Notes: Indicates the seven-year period of famine.
- שְׁנֵ֤י (shenei) – Root: שָׁנָה (shanah); Form: Noun, fd construct; Translation: “years of”; Notes: Modifies “famine,” specifying the duration.
- הָרָעָב֙ (haraav) – Root: רָעָב (raav); Form: Noun, ms with definite article; Translation: “the famine”; Notes: Refers to the impending period of scarcity.
- לָבֹ֔וא (lavo) – Root: בּוֹא (bo); Form: Verb, Qal, Infinitive Construct; Translation: “to come”; Notes: Indicates the onset of the famine years.
- כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (ka’asher) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “as”; Notes: Used to compare or confirm alignment with Yosef’s prediction.
- אָמַ֣ר (amar) – Root: אָמַר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Refers to Yosef’s previous statement.
- יֹוסֵ֑ף (Yosef) – Root: יֹוסֵף (Yosef); Form: Proper noun, ms; Translation: “Yosef”; Notes: Refers to Yosef as the source of the prophecy.
- וַיְהִ֤י (vayehi) – Root: הָיָה (hayah); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3ms; Translation: “and there was”; Notes: Describes the presence of famine.
- רָעָב֙ (raav) – Root: רָעָב (raav); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “famine”; Notes: Refers to the widespread scarcity.
- בְּכָל־הָ֣אֲרָצֹ֔ות (bekhol-ha’aratzot) – Root: אֶרֶץ (eretz); Form: Noun, fp with preposition and definite article; Translation: “in all the lands”; Notes: Indicates the extensive reach of the famine.
- וּבְכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ (u’vekhol-eretz) – Root: אֶרֶץ (eretz); Form: Noun, fs with preposition; Translation: “but in all the land of”; Notes: Distinguishes the specific location within Egypt.
- מִצְרַ֖יִם (Mitzrayim) – Root: מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim); Form: Proper noun, fs; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Refers to the land of Egypt as the exception.
- הָ֥יָה (hayah) – Root: הָיָה (hayah); Form: Verb, Qal, Perfect, 3ms; Translation: “there was”; Notes: Describes the availability of sustenance.
- לָֽחֶם (lehem) – Root: לֶחֶם (lehem); Form: Noun, ms; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Indicates the presence of food or sustenance in Egypt.