וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂר֩ עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ אַחִ֧ים אֲנַ֛חְנוּ בְּנֵ֥י אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וְהִנֵּ֨ה הַקָּטֹ֤ן אֶת־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ הַיֹּ֔ום וְהָאֶחָ֖ד אֵינֶֽנּוּ׃
And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, sons of one man in the land of Kena’an; behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.”
Morphology
- וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ (vayomru) – Root: אָמַר (amar); Form: Verb, Qal, Consecutive Imperfect, 3mp; Translation: “And they said”; Notes: Describes the brothers speaking to Yosef.
- שְׁנֵ֣ים עָשָׂר֩ (shenei asar) – Root: עֶשֶׂר (eser); Form: Numeral, masculine; Translation: “twelve”; Notes: Refers to the number of brothers.
- עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ (avadeikha) – Root: עֶבֶד (eved); Form: Noun, masculine plural with 2ms suffix; Translation: “your servants”; Notes: Term of humility and respect in addressing Yosef.
- אַחִ֧ים (achim) – Root: אָח (ach); Form: Noun, masculine plural; Translation: “brothers”; Notes: Refers to the familial relationship among the speakers.
- אֲנַ֛חְנוּ (anachnu) – Form: Pronoun, 1cp; Translation: “we”; Notes: Subject pronoun indicating the speakers.
- בְּנֵ֥י (bnei) – Root: בֵּן (ben); Form: Noun, masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Refers to their father as the common parent.
- אִישׁ־אֶחָ֖ד (ish echad) – Root: אִישׁ (ish); Form: Noun, masculine singular + numeral; Translation: “one man”; Notes: Indicates their shared father.
- בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן (b’eretz Kena’an) – Root: אֶרֶץ (eretz), כְּנָעַן (Kena’an); Form: Noun, feminine singular construct + proper noun; Translation: “in the land of Kena’an”; Notes: Identifies their homeland.
- וְהִנֵּ֨ה (ve-hineh) – Form: Interjection; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Used for emphasis regarding their youngest brother.
- הַקָּטֹ֤ן (ha-katon) – Root: קָטָן (katan); Form: Adjective, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “the youngest”; Notes: Refers to the youngest brother with their father.
- אֶת־אָבִ֨ינוּ֙ (et-avinu) – Root: אָב (av); Form: Noun, masculine singular with 1cp suffix + accusative marker; Translation: “with our father”; Notes: Indicates the youngest’s location with their father.
- הַיֹּ֔ום (ha-yom) – Root: יֹום (yom); Form: Noun, masculine singular with definite article; Translation: “today”; Notes: Emphasizes the current presence of the youngest brother with their father.
- וְהָאֶחָ֖ד (ve-ha-echad) – Root: אֶחָד (echad); Form: Numeral, masculine singular with conjunction; Translation: “and one”; Notes: Refers to another brother who is no longer with them.
- אֵינֶֽנּוּ (einenu) – Form: Particle of nonexistence + 3ms suffix; Translation: “is no more”; Notes: Indicates the absence or loss of one brother.